EXHIBIT 4.3
AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION
OF TRUST
SOUTHEASTERN BANK FINANCIAL STATUTORY TRUST I
Dated as of December 5, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1. Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
SECTION 2.1. Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 2.2. Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 2.3. Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 2.4. Authority. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 2.5. Title to Property of the Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SECTION 2.6. Powers and Duties of the Trustees and the Administrators . . 10
SECTION 2.7. Prohibition of Actions by the Trust and the Trustees . . . . 14
SECTION 2.8. Powers and Duties of the Institutional Trustee . . . . . . . 15
SECTION 2.9. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustees and the
Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
SECTION 2.10. Certain Rights of Institutional Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . 18
SECTION 2.11. Execution of Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 2.12. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities . . . 21
SECTION 2.13. Duration of Trust. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
SECTION 2.14. Mergers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
ARTICLE III
SPONSOR
SECTION 3.1. Sponsor's Purchase of Common Securities. . . . . . . . . . . 23
SECTION 3.2. Responsibilities of the Sponsor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
ARTICLE IV
TRUSTEES AND ADMINISTRATORS
SECTION 4.1. Number of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
SECTION 4.2. Institutional Trustee; Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
SECTION 4.3. Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
SECTION 4.4. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Trustees and
the Administrators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
SECTION 4.5. Vacancies Among Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
SECTION 4.6. Effect of Vacancies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
SECTION 4.7. Meetings of the Trustees and the Administrators. . . . . . . 27
SECTION 4.8. Delegation of Power. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
SECTION 4.9. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to
Business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
ARTICLE V
DISTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 5.1. Distributions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
ARTICLE VI
ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES
SECTION 6.1. General Provisions Regarding Securities. . . . . . . . . . . 28
SECTION 6.2. Paying Agent, Transfer Agent, Calculation Agent and
Registrar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
SECTION 6.3. Form and Dating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
SECTION 6.4. Book-Entry Capital Securities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SECTION 6.5. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates. . . . . . 32
SECTION 6.6. Temporary Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SECTION 6.7. Cancellation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
SECTION 6.8. Rights of Holders; Waivers of Past Defaults. . . . . . . . . 33
ARTICLE VII
DISSOLUTION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
SECTION 7.1. Dissolution and Termination of Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
ARTICLE VIII
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
SECTION 8.1. General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
SECTION 8.2. Transfer Procedures and Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
SECTION 8.3. Deemed Security Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
ARTICLE IX
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES, TRUSTEES OR OTHERS
SECTION 9.1. Liability. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
SECTION 9.2. Exculpation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
SECTION 9.3. Fiduciary Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
SECTION 9.4. Indemnification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
SECTION 9.5. Outside Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
SECTION 9.6. Compensation; Fee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
ARTICLE X
ACCOUNTING
SECTION 10.1. Fiscal Year. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SECTION 10.2. Certain Accounting Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SECTION 10.3. Banking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
SECTION 10.4. Withholding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS AND MEETINGS
SECTION 11.1. Amendments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
SECTION 11.2. Meetings of the Holders of the Securities; Action by
Written Consent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
ARTICLE XII
REPRESENTATIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL TRUSTEE
SECTION 12.1. Representations and Warranties of Institutional Trustee. . . 51
ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 13.1. Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
SECTION 13.2. Governing Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SECTION 13.3. Submission to Jurisdiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
SECTION 13.4. Intention of the Parties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SECTION 13.5. Headings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SECTION 13.6. Successors and Assigns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SECTION 13.7. Partial Enforceability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
SECTION 13.8. Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page
ANNEXES AND EXHIBITS
ANNEX I Terms of TP Securities and Common Securities
EXHIBIT A-1 Form of Capital Security Certificate
EXHIBIT A-2 Form of Common Security Certificate
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AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
December 5, 2005
AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST (this "Declaration"), dated and
effective as of December 5, 2005, by the Trustees (as defined herein), the
Administrators (as defined herein), the Sponsor (as defined herein) and the
holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Trust (as defined herein) to be issued pursuant to this Declaration.
WHEREAS, the Trustee, the Administrators and the Sponsor established
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I (the "Trust"), a statutory trust
under the Statutory Trust Act (as defined herein), pursuant to a Declaration of
Trust, dated as of December 2, 2005 (the "Original Declaration"), and a
Certificate of Trust filed with the Secretary of State of the State of
Connecticut on December 2, 2005, for the sole purpose of issuing and selling
certain securities representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of
the Trust and investing the proceeds thereof in the Debentures (as defined
herein) of the Debenture Issuer (as defined herein) in connection with the
issuance of the Capital Securities (as defined herein);
WHEREAS, as of the date hereof, no interests in the assets of the Trust
have been issued; and
WHEREAS, the Trustee, the Administrators and the Sponsor, by this
Declaration, amend and restate each and every term and provision of the Original
Declaration.
NOW, THEREFORE, it being the intention of the parties hereto to continue
the Trust as a statutory trust under the Statutory Trust Act and that this
Declaration constitutes the governing instrument of such statutory trust, and
that all assets contributed to the Trust will be held in trust for the benefit
of the holders, from time to time, of the securities representing undivided
beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust issued hereunder, subject to the
provisions of this Declaration, and, in consideration of the mutual covenants
contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which
is hereby acknowledged, the parties, intending to be legally bound hereby, amend
and restate in its entirety the Original Declaration and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
INTERPRETATION AND DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.1. Definitions. Unless the context otherwise requires:
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(a) capitalized terms used in this Declaration but not defined in the
preamble above or elsewhere herein have the respective meanings assigned to them
in this Section 1.1 or, if not defined in this Section 1.1 or elsewhere herein,
in the Indenture;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this Declaration has the same meaning
throughout;
(c) all references to "the Declaration" or "this Declaration" are to
this Declaration as modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Declaration to Articles and Sections and
Annexes and Exhibits are to Articles and Sections of and Annexes and Exhibits to
this Declaration unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act (as defined herein) has
the same meaning when used in this Declaration unless otherwise defined in this
Declaration or unless the context otherwise requires; and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"Additional Interest" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.06 of the
Indenture.
"Administrative Action" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 4(a) of
Annex I.
"Administrators" means each of R. Daniel Blanton and Ronald L. Thigpen,
solely in such Person's capacity as Administrator of the Trust continued
hereunder and not in such Person's individual capacity, or such Administrator's
successor in interest in such capacity, or any successor appointed as herein
provided.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the
Securities Act or any successor rule thereunder.
"Applicable Depositary Procedures" means, with respect to any transfer or
transaction involving a Book-Entry Capital Security, the rules and procedures of
the Depositary for such Book-Entry Capital Security, in each case to the extent
applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized to
bind such Person.
"Bankruptcy Event" means, with respect to any Person:
(a) a court having jurisdiction in the premises enters a decree or
order for relief in respect of such Person in an involuntary case under any
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in
effect, or appoints a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee,
sequestrator or similar official of such Person or for any substantial part of
its property, or orders the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs, and such
decree, appointment or order remains unstayed and in effect for a period of 90
consecutive days; or
(b) such Person commences a voluntary case under any applicable
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, consents
to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law,
or consents to the appointment of or
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taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian,
sequestrator or other similar official of such Person of any substantial part of
its property, or makes any general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or
fails generally to pay its debts as they become due.
"Business Day" means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or any other day
on which banking institutions in Boston, Massachusetts or New York City or the
city of the Corporate Trust Office are permitted or required by any applicable
law or executive order to close.
"Calculation Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 1.01 of the
Indenture.
"Capital Securities" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a).
"Capital Securities Purchase Agreement" means the Capital Securities
Purchase Agreement dated as of December 2, 2005 among the Trust, the Sponsor and
Merrill Lynch International.
"Capital Security Certificate" means a definitive Certificate registered in
the name of the Holder representing a Capital Security substantially in the form
of Exhibit A 1.
"Capital Treatment Event" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 4(a) of
Annex I.
"Certificate" means any certificate evidencing Securities.
"Certificate of Trust" means the certificate of trust filed with the
Secretary of State of the State of Connecticut with respect to the Trust, as
amended and restated from time to time.
"Closing Date" means the date of execution and delivery of this
Declaration.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, or any successor legislation.
"Commission" means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
"Common Securities" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a).
"Common Security Certificate" means a definitive Certificate registered in
the name of the Holder representing a Common Security substantially in the form
of Exhibit A-2.
"Company Indemnified Person" means (a) any Administrator; (b) any Affiliate
of any Administrator; (c) any officers, directors, shareholders, members,
partners, employees, representatives or agents of any Administrator; or (d) any
officer, employee or agent of the Trust or its Affiliates.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Institutional Trustee at
which the corporate trust business of the Institutional Trustee shall, at any
particular time, be principally administered, which office shall at all times be
located in the United States and at the date of execution of this Declaration is
located at 225 Asylum Street, 23rd Floor, Hartford, Connecticut 06103, Attn:
Corporate Trust Services - Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I.
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"Coupon Rate" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(a) of Annex I.
"Covered Person" means: (a) any Administrator, officer, director,
shareholder, partner, member, representative, employee or agent of (i) the Trust
or (ii) the Trust's Affiliates; and (b) any Holder of Securities.
"Debenture Issuer" means Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation, a bank
holding company incorporated in Georgia, in its capacity as issuer of the
Debentures under the Indenture.
"Debenture Trustee" means U.S. Bank National Association, not in its
individual capacity but solely as trustee under the Indenture until a successor
is appointed thereunder, and thereafter means such successor trustee.
"Debentures" means the Junior Subordinated Debt Securities due December 15,
2035 to be issued by the Debenture Issuer under the Indenture.
"Deferred Interest" means any interest on the Debentures that would have
been overdue and unpaid for more than one Distribution Payment Date but for the
imposition of an Extension Period, and the interest that shall accrue (to the
extent that the payment of such interest is legally enforceable) on such
interest at the Coupon Rate applicable during such Extension Period, compounded
quarterly from the date on which such Deferred Interest would otherwise have
been due and payable until paid or made available for payment.
"Definitive Capital Securities" means any Capital Securities in definitive
form issued by the Trust.
"Depositary" means an organization registered as a clearing agency under
the Exchange Act that is designated as Depositary by the Sponsor or any
successor thereto. DTC will be the initial Depositary.
"Depositary Participant" means a broker, dealer, bank, other financial
institution or other Person for whom from time to time the Depositary effects
book-entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the Depositary.
"Delaware Trustee" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.2.
"Direct Action" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8(e).
"Distribution" means a distribution payable to Holders of Securities in
accordance with Section 5.1.
"Distribution Payment Date" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(e) of
Annex I.
"Distribution Payment Period" means the period from and including a
Distribution Payment Date, or in the case of the first Distribution Payment
Period, the original date of issuance of the Securities, to, but excluding, the
next succeeding Distribution Payment Date or, in the case of the last
Distribution Payment Period, the Redemption Date, Special Redemption
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Date or Maturity Date (each as defined in the Indenture), as the case may be,
for the related Debentures.
"DTC" means The Depository Trust Company or any successor thereto.
"Event of Default" means the occurrence of an Indenture Event of Default.
"Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from
time to time, or any successor legislation.
"Extension Period" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(e) of Annex I.
"Fiduciary Indemnified Person" shall mean the Institutional Trustee
(including in its individual capacity), any Affiliate of the Institutional
Trustee, and any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners,
employees, representatives, custodians, nominees or agents of the Institutional
Trustee.
"Fiscal Year" has the meaning set forth in Section 10.1.
"Global Capital Security" means a Capital Securities Certificate evidencing
ownership of Book-Entry Capital Securities.
"Guarantee" means the Guarantee Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, of
the Sponsor (the "Guarantor") in respect of the Capital Securities.
"Holder" means a Person in whose name a Certificate representing a Security
is registered on the register maintained by or on behalf of the Registrar, such
Person being a beneficial owner within the meaning of the Statutory Trust Act.
"Indemnified Person" means a Company Indemnified Person or a Fiduciary
Indemnified Person.
"Indenture" means the Indenture, dated as of the Closing Date, between the
Debenture Issuer and the Debenture Trustee, and any indenture supplemental
thereto pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued.
"Indenture Event of Default" means an "Event of Default" as defined in the
Indenture.
"Institutional Trustee" means the Trustee meeting the eligibility
requirements set forth in Section 4.3.
"Investment Company" means an investment company as defined in the
Investment Company Act.
"Investment Company Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended from time to time, or any successor legislation.
"Investment Company Event" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 4(a) of
Annex I.
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"Legal Action" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8(e).
"LIBOR" means the London Interbank Offered Rate for U.S. Dollar deposits in
Europe as determined by the Calculation Agent according to paragraph 2(b) of
Annex I.
"LIBOR Banking Day" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(b)(1) of Annex
I.
"LIBOR Business Day" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(b)(1) of
Annex I.
"LIBOR Determination Date" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(b)(1)
of Annex I.
"Liquidation" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 3 of Annex I.
"Liquidation Distribution" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 3 of
Annex I.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means Holders of
outstanding Securities voting together as a single class or, as the context may
require, Holders of outstanding Capital Securities or Holders of outstanding
Common Securities voting separately as a class, who are the record owners of
more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount
that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and
unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all outstanding Securities of the relevant class.
"Notice" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.11 of the Indenture.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a certificate
signed by two Authorized Officers of such Person. Any Officers' Certificate
delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for
in this Declaration shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers' Certificate
has read the covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such officer
to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition
has been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Owner" means each Person who is the beneficial owner of Book-Entry Capital
Securities as reflected in the records of the Depositary or, if a Depositary
Participant is not the beneficial owner, then the beneficial owner as reflected
in the records of the Depositary Participant.
"Paying Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
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"Payment Amount" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Placement Agreement" means the Placement Agreement relating to the
offering and sale of Capital Securities.
"PORTAL" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(a)(i)(E).
"Property Account" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.8(c).
"Pro Rata" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 8 of Annex I.
"QIB" means a "qualified institutional buyer" as defined under Rule 144A.
"Quorum" means a majority of the Administrators or, if there are only two
Administrators, both of them.
"Redemption/Distribution Notice" has the meaning set forth in paragraph
4(e) of Annex I.
"Redemption Price" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 4(a) of Annex I.
"Registrar" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Institutional Trustee, any
officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Institutional Trustee with
direct responsibility for the administration of this Declaration, including any
vice-president, any assistant vice-president, any secretary, any assistant
secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer, any trust officer or other
officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Institutional Trustee customarily
performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter,
any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer's
knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Restricted Securities Legend" has the meaning set forth in Section 8.2(c).
"Rule 144A" means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
"Rule 3a-5" means Rule 3a-5 under the Investment Company Act.
"Rule 3a-7" means Rule 3a-7 under the Investment Company Act.
"Securities" means the Common Securities and the Capital Securities, as
applicable.
"Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to
time, or any successor legislation.
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"Sponsor" means Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation, a bank holding
company that is a U.S. Person incorporated in Georgia, or any successor entity
in a merger, consolidation or amalgamation that is a U.S. Person, in its
capacity as sponsor of the Trust.
"Statutory Trust Act" means Chapter 615 of Title 34 of the Connecticut
General Statutes, 34 C.G.S. Sec. 500 et seq., as it may be amended from time to
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time, or any successor legislation.
"Successor Entity" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(b).
"Successor Institutional Trustee" has the meaning set forth in Section
4.4(b).
"Successor Securities" has the meaning set forth in Section 2.15(b).
"Super Majority" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 5(b) of Annex I.
"Tax Event" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 4(a) of Annex I.
"10% in liquidation amount of the Securities" means Holders of outstanding
Securities voting together as a single class or, as the context may require,
Holders of outstanding Capital Securities or Holders of outstanding Common
Securities voting separately as a class, who are the record owners of 10% or
more of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would
be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of
all outstanding Securities of the relevant class.
"Transfer Agent" has the meaning set forth in Section 6.2.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
from time-to-time, or any successor legislation.
"Trustee" or "Trustees" means each Person who has signed this Declaration
as a trustee, so long as such Person shall continue in office in accordance with
the terms hereof, and all other Persons who may from time to time be duly
appointed, qualified and serving as Trustees in accordance with the provisions
hereof, and references herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such
Person or Persons solely in their capacity as trustees hereunder.
"Trust Property" means (a) the Debentures, (b) any cash on deposit in, or
owing to, the Property Account and (c) all proceeds and rights in respect of the
foregoing and any other property and assets for the time being held or deemed to
be held by the Institutional Trustee pursuant to the trusts of this Declaration.
"U.S. Person" means a United States Person as defined in Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code.
"Variable Rate" has the meaning set forth in paragraph 2(a) of Annex I.
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ARTICLE II
ORGANIZATION
SECTION 2.1. Name. The Trust is continued hereby and shall be known as
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"Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I," as such name may be modified
from time to time by the Administrators following written notice to the
Institutional Trustee and the Holders of the Securities. The Trust's activities
may be conducted under the name of the Trust or any other name deemed advisable
by the Administrators.
SECTION 2.2. Office. The address of the principal office of the Trust,
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which shall be in a state of the United States or the District of Columbia, is
225 Asylum Street, 23rd Floor, Hartford, Connecticut 06103, Attention:
Corporate Trust Services -- Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I. On
ten Business Days' written notice to the Institutional Trustee and the Holders
of the Securities, the Administrators may designate another principal office,
which shall be in a state of the United States or the District of Columbia.
SECTION 2.3. Purpose. The exclusive purposes and functions of the Trust
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are (a) to issue and sell the Securities representing undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Trust, (b) to invest the gross proceeds from such
sale to acquire the Debentures, (c) to facilitate direct investment in the
assets of the Trust through issuance of the Common Securities and the Capital
Securities and (d) except as otherwise limited herein, to engage in only those
other activities incidental thereto that are deemed necessary or advisable by
the Institutional Trustee, including, without limitation, those activities
specified in this Declaration. The Trust shall not borrow money, issue debt or
reinvest proceeds derived from investments, pledge any of its assets, or
otherwise undertake (or permit to be undertaken) any activity that would cause
the Trust not to be classified for United States federal income tax purposes as
a grantor trust.
SECTION 2.4. Authority. Except as specifically provided in this
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Declaration, the Institutional Trustee shall have exclusive and complete
authority to carry out the purposes of the Trust. An action taken by a Trustee
on behalf of the Trust and in accordance with such Trustee's powers shall
constitute the act of and serve to bind the Trust. In dealing with the Trustees
acting on behalf of the Trust, no Person shall be required to inquire into the
authority of the Trustees to bind the Trust. Persons dealing with the Trust are
entitled to rely conclusively on the power and authority of the Trustees as set
forth in this Declaration. The Administrators shall have only those ministerial
duties set forth herein with respect to accomplishing the purposes of the Trust
and are not intended to be trustees or fiduciaries with respect to the Trust or
the Holders. The Institutional Trustee shall have the right, but shall not be
obligated except as provided in Section 2.6, to perform those duties assigned to
the Administrators.
SECTION 2.5. Title to Property of the Trust. Except as provided in
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Section 2.6(g) and Section 2.8 with respect to the Debentures and the Property
Account or as otherwise provided in this Declaration, legal title to all assets
of the Trust shall be vested in the Trust. The Holders shall not have legal
title to any part of the assets of the Trust, but shall have an undivided
beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust.
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SECTION 2.6. Powers and Duties of the Trustees and the Administrators.
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(a) The Trustees and the Administrators shall conduct the affairs of
the Trust in accordance with the terms of this Declaration. Subject to the
limitations set forth in paragraph (b) of this Section, and in accordance with
the following provisions (i) and (ii), the Administrators and, at the direction
of the Administrators, the Trustees, shall have the authority to enter into all
transactions and agreements determined by the Administrators to be appropriate
in exercising the authority, express or implied, otherwise granted to the
Trustees or the Administrators, as the case may be, under this Declaration, and
to perform all acts in furtherance thereof, including without limitation, the
following:
(i) Each Administrator shall have the power, duty and authority,
and is hereby authorized, to act on behalf of the Trust with respect
to the following matters:
(A) the issuance and sale of the Securities;
(B) to acquire the Debentures with the proceeds of the sale
of the Securities; provided, however, that the Administrators
shall cause legal title to the Debentures to be held of record in
the name of the Institutional Trustee for the benefit of the
Holders;
(C) to cause the Trust to enter into, and to execute,
deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust, such agreements as
may be necessary or desirable in connection with the purposes and
function of the Trust, including agreements with the Paying
Agent, a Debenture subscription agreement between the Trust and
the Sponsor and a Common Securities subscription agreement
between the Trust and the Sponsor;
(D) ensuring compliance with the Securities Act and
applicable state securities or blue sky laws;
(E) if and at such time determined solely by the Sponsor at
the request of the Holders, assisting in the designation of the
Capital Securities for trading in the Private Offering, Resales
and Trading through the Automatic Linkages ("PORTAL") system if
available;
(F) the sending of notices (other than notices of default)
and other information regarding the Securities and the Debentures
to the Holders in accordance with this Declaration, including
notice of any notice received from the Debenture Issuer of its
election to defer payments of interest on the Debentures by
extending the interest payment period under the Indenture;
(G) the appointment of a Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and
Registrar in accordance with this Declaration;
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(H) execution and delivery of the Securities in accordance
with this Declaration;
(I) execution and delivery of closing certificates pursuant
to the Placement Agreement and the application for a taxpayer
identification number;
(J) unless otherwise determined by the Holders of a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities or as otherwise
required by the Statutory Trust Act, to execute on behalf of the
Trust (either acting alone or together with any or all of the
Administrators) any documents that the Administrators have the
power to execute pursuant to this Declaration;
(K) the taking of any action incidental to the foregoing as
the Sponsor or an Administrator may from time to time determine
is necessary or advisable to give effect to the terms of this
Declaration for the benefit of the Holders (without consideration
of the effect of any such action on any particular Holder);
(L) to establish a record date with respect to all actions
to be taken hereunder that require a record date be established,
including Distributions, voting rights, redemptions and
exchanges, and to issue relevant notices to the Holders of
Capital Securities and Holders of Common Securities as to such
actions and applicable record dates;
(M) to duly prepare and file on behalf of the Trust all
applicable tax returns and tax information reports that are
required to be filed with respect to the Trust;
(N) to negotiate the terms of, and the execution and
delivery of, the Placement Agreement and the Capital Securities
Purchase Agreement related thereto, providing for the sale of the
Capital Securities;
(O) to employ or otherwise engage employees, agents (who
may be designated as officers with titles), managers,
contractors, advisors, attorneys and consultants and pay
reasonable compensation for such services;
(P) to incur expenses that are necessary or incidental to
carry out any of the purposes of the Trust;
(Q) to give the certificate required by Sec. 314(a)(4) of
the Trust Indenture Act to the Institutional Trustee, which
certificate may be executed by an Administrator; and
(R) to take all action that may be necessary or appropriate
for the preservation and the continuation of the Trust's valid
existence, rights, franchises and privileges as a statutory trust
under the laws of each
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jurisdiction (other than the State of Connecticut) in which such
existence is necessary to protect the limited liability of the
Holders of the Capital Securities or to enable the Trust to
effect the purposes for which the Trust was created.
(ii) As among the Trustees and the Administrators, the
Institutional Trustee shall have the power, duty and authority, and is
hereby authorized, to act on behalf of the Trust with respect to the
following matters:
(A) the establishment of the Property Account;
(B) the receipt of the Debentures;
(C) the collection of interest, principal and any other
payments made in respect of the Debentures in the Property
Account;
(D) the distribution through the Paying Agent of amounts
owed to the Holders in respect of the Securities;
(E) the exercise of all of the rights, powers and
privileges of a holder of the Debentures;
(F) the sending of notices of default and other information
regarding the Securities and the Debentures to the Holders in
accordance with this Declaration;
(G) the distribution of the Trust Property in accordance
with the terms of this Declaration;
(H) to the extent provided in this Declaration, the winding
up of the affairs of and liquidation of the Trust;
(I) after any Event of Default (of which the Institutional
Trustee has knowledge (as provided in Section 2.10(m) hereof))
(provided, that such Event of Default is not by or with respect
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to the Institutional Trustee), the taking of any action
incidental to the foregoing as the Institutional Trustee may from
time to time determine is necessary or advisable to give effect
to the terms of this Declaration and protect and conserve the
Trust Property for the benefit of the Holders (without
consideration of the effect of any such action on any particular
Holder);
(J) to take all action that may be necessary or appropriate
for the preservation and the continuation of the Trust's valid
existence, rights, franchises and privileges as a statutory trust
under the laws of the State of Connecticut to protect the limited
liability of the Holders of the Capital Securities or to enable
the Trust to effect the purposes for which the Trust was created;
and
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(K) to undertake any actions set forth in Sec. 317(a) of
the Trust Indenture Act.
(iii) The Institutional Trustee shall have the power and
authority, and is hereby authorized, to act on behalf of the Trust
with respect to any of the duties, liabilities, powers or the
authority of the Administrators set forth in Section 2.6(a)(i)(E) and
(F) herein but shall not have a duty to do any such act unless
specifically requested to do so in writing by the Sponsor, and shall
then be fully protected in acting pursuant to such written request;
and in the event of a conflict between the action of the
Administrators and the action of the Institutional Trustee, the action
of the Institutional Trustee shall prevail.
(b) So long as this Declaration remains in effect, the Trust (or the
Trustees or Administrators acting on behalf of the Trust) shall not undertake
any business, activities or transaction except as expressly provided herein or
contemplated hereby. In particular, neither the Trustees nor the Administrators
may cause the Trust to (i) acquire any investments or engage in any activities
not authorized by this Declaration, (ii) sell, assign, transfer, exchange,
mortgage, pledge, set-off or otherwise dispose of any of the Trust Property or
interests therein, including to Holders, except as expressly provided herein,
(iii) take any action that would cause (or in the case of the Institutional
Trustee, to the actual knowledge of a Responsible Officer would cause) the Trust
to fail or cease to qualify as a "grantor trust" for United States federal
income tax purposes, (iv) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any
other debt or (v) take or consent to any action that would result in the
placement of a lien on any of the Trust Property. The Institutional Trustee
shall, at the sole cost and expense of the Trust, defend all claims and demands
of all Persons at any time claiming any lien on any of the Trust Property
adverse to the interest of the Trust or the Holders in their capacity as
Holders.
(c) In connection with the issuance and sale of the Capital
Securities, the Sponsor shall have the right and responsibility to assist the
Trust with respect to, or effect on behalf of the Trust, the following (and any
actions taken by the Sponsor in furtherance of the following prior to the date
of this Declaration are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects):
(i) the taking of any action necessary to obtain an exemption
from the Securities Act;
(ii) the determination of the States in which to take
appropriate action to qualify or register for sale all or part of the
Capital Securities and the determination of any and all such acts,
other than actions which must be taken by or on behalf of the Trust,
and the advisement of and direction to the Administrators of actions
they must take on behalf of the Trust, and the preparation for
execution and filing of any documents to be executed and filed by the
Trust or on behalf of the Trust, as the Sponsor deems necessary or
advisable in order to comply with the applicable laws of any such
States in connection with the sale of the Capital Securities; and
(iii) the taking of any other actions necessary or desirable to
carry out any of the foregoing activities.
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(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the
Administrators, the Institutional Trustee and the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Common Securities are authorized and directed to
conduct the affairs of the Trust and to operate the Trust so that (i) the Trust
will not be deemed to be an Investment Company (in the case of the Institutional
Trustee, to the actual knowledge of a Responsible Officer), and (ii) the Trust
will not fail to be classified as a grantor trust for United States federal
income tax purposes (in the case of the Institutional Trustee, to the actual
knowledge of a Responsible Officer) and (iii) the Trust will not take any action
inconsistent with the treatment of the Debentures as indebtedness of the
Debenture Issuer for United States federal income tax purposes (in the case of
the Institutional Trustee, to the actual knowledge of a Responsible Officer). In
this connection, the Institutional Trustee, the Administrators and the Holders
of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Common Securities are authorized to
take any action, not inconsistent with applicable laws or this Declaration, as
amended from time to time, that each of the Institutional Trustee, the
Administrators and such Holders determine in their discretion to be necessary or
desirable for such purposes, even if such action adversely affects the interests
of the Holders of the Capital Securities.
(e) All expenses incurred by the Administrators or the Trustees
pursuant to this Section 2.6 shall be reimbursed by the Sponsor, and the
Trustees shall have no obligations with respect to such expenses.
(f) The assets of the Trust shall consist of the Trust Property.
(g) Legal title to all Trust Property shall be vested at all times in
the Institutional Trustee (in its capacity as such) and shall be held and
administered by the Institutional Trustee for the benefit of the Trust in
accordance with this Declaration.
(h) If the Institutional Trustee or any Holder has instituted any
proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Declaration and such
proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been
determined adversely to the Institutional Trustee or to such Holder, then and in
every such case the Sponsor, the Institutional Trustee and the Holders shall,
subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and
respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and
remedies of the Institutional Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though
no such proceeding had been instituted.
SECTION 2.7. Prohibition of Actions by the Trust and the Trustees. The
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Trust shall not, and the Institutional Trustee and the Administrators shall not,
and the Administrators shall cause the Trust not to, engage in any activity
other than as required or authorized by this Declaration. In particular, the
Trust shall not, and the Institutional Trustee and the Administrators shall not
cause the Trust to:
(a) invest any proceeds received by the Trust from holding the
Debentures, but shall distribute all such proceeds to Holders of the Securities
pursuant to the terms of this Declaration and of the Securities;
(b) acquire any assets other than as expressly provided herein;
(c) possess Trust Property for other than a Trust purpose;
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(d) make any loans or incur any indebtedness other than loans
represented by the Debentures;
(e) possess any power or otherwise act in such a way as to vary the
Trust Property or the terms of the Securities;
(f) issue any securities or other evidences of beneficial ownership
of, or beneficial interest in, the Trust other than the Securities; or
(g) other than as provided in this Declaration (including Annex I),
(i) direct the time, method and place of exercising any trust or power conferred
upon the Debenture Trustee with respect to the Debentures, (ii) waive any past
default that is waivable under the Indenture, (iii) exercise any right to
rescind or annul any declaration that the principal of all the Debentures shall
be due and payable, or (iv) consent to any amendment, modification or
termination of the Indenture or the Debentures where such consent shall be
required unless the Trust shall have received a written opinion of counsel
experienced in such matters to the effect that such amendment, modification or
termination will not cause the Trust to cease to be classified as a grantor
trust for United States federal income tax purposes.
SECTION 2.8. Powers and Duties of the Institutional Trustee.
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(a) The legal title to the Debentures shall be owned by and held of
record in the name of the Institutional Trustee in trust for the benefit of the
Trust. The right, title and interest of the Institutional Trustee to the
Debentures shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter be
appointed as Institutional Trustee in accordance with Section 4.7. Such vesting
and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents
with regard to the Debentures have been executed and delivered.
(b) The Institutional Trustee shall not transfer its right, title and
interest in the Debentures to the Administrators.
(c) The Institutional Trustee shall:
(i) establish and maintain a segregated non-interest bearing
trust account (the "Property Account") in the United States (as
defined in Treasury Regulations Sec. 301.7701-7), in the name of and
under the exclusive control of the Institutional Trustee, and
maintained in the Institutional Trustee's trust department, on behalf
of the Holders of the Securities and, upon the receipt of payments of
funds made in respect of the Debentures held by the Institutional
Trustee, deposit such funds into the Property Account and make
payments to the Holders of the Capital Securities and Holders of the
Common Securities from the Property Account in accordance with Section
5.1. Funds in the Property Account shall be held uninvested until
disbursed in accordance with this Declaration;
(ii) engage in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary
or appropriate to effect the redemption of the Capital Securities and
the Common Securities to the extent the Debentures are redeemed or
mature; and
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(iii) upon written notice of distribution issued by the
Administrators in accordance with the terms of the Securities, engage
in such ministerial activities as shall be necessary or appropriate to
effect the distribution of the Debentures to Holders of Securities
upon the occurrence of certain circumstances pursuant to the terms of
the Securities.
(d) The Institutional Trustee shall take all actions and perform such
duties as may be specifically required of the Institutional Trustee pursuant to
the terms of the Securities.
(e) The Institutional Trustee may bring or defend, pay, collect,
compromise, arbitrate, resort to legal action with respect to, or otherwise
adjust claims or demands of or against, the Trust (a "Legal Action") which arise
out of or in connection with an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer
of the Institutional Trustee has actual knowledge or the Institutional Trustee's
duties and obligations under this Declaration or the Trust Indenture Act;
provided, however, that if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing
- -------- -------
and such event is attributable to the failure of the Debenture Issuer to pay
interest or premium, if any, on or principal of the Debentures on the date such
interest, premium, if any, or principal is otherwise payable (or in the case of
redemption, on the redemption date), then a Holder of the Capital Securities may
directly institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment to such Holder of the
principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Debentures having a
principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities of such Holder (a "Direct Action") on or after the respective due
date specified in the Debentures. In connection with such Direct Action, the
rights of the Holders of the Common Securities will be subrogated to the rights
of such Holder of the Capital Securities to the extent of any payment made by
the Debenture Issuer to such Holder of the Capital Securities in such Direct
Action; provided, however, that a Holder of the Common Securities may exercise
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such right of subrogation only if no Event of Default with respect to the
Capital Securities has occurred and is continuing.
(f) The Institutional Trustee shall continue to serve as a Trustee
until either:
(i) the Trust has been completely liquidated and the proceeds of
the liquidation distributed to the Holders of the Securities pursuant
to the terms of the Securities and this Declaration (including Annex
I) and the certificate of cancellation referenced in Section 7.1(b)
has been filed; or
(ii) a Successor Institutional Trustee has been appointed and
has accepted that appointment in accordance with Section 4.7.
(g) The Institutional Trustee shall have the legal power to exercise
all of the rights, powers and privileges of a holder of the Debentures under the
Indenture and, if an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the
Institutional Trustee may, for the benefit of Holders of the Securities, enforce
its rights as holder of the Debentures subject to the rights of the Holders
pursuant to this Declaration (including Annex I) and the terms of the
Securities.
(h) The Institutional Trustee must exercise the powers set forth in
this Section 2.8 in a manner that is consistent with the purposes and functions
of the Trust set out in Section
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2.3, and the Institutional Trustee shall not take any action that is
inconsistent with the purposes and functions of the Trust set out in Section
2.3.
SECTION 2.9. Certain Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustees and the
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Administrators.
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(a) The Institutional Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of
Default (of which the Institutional Trustee has knowledge (as provided in
Section 2.10(m) hereof)) and after the curing of all Events of Default that may
have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically
set forth in this Declaration and no implied covenants shall be read into this
Declaration against the Institutional Trustee. In case an Event of Default (of
which the Institutional Trustee has knowledge (as provided in Section 2.10(m)
hereof)), has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section
6.7), the Institutional Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers
vested in it by this Declaration, and use the same degree of care and skill in
their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the
circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(b) The duties and responsibilities of the Trustees and the
Administrators shall be as provided by this Declaration and, in the case of the
Institutional Trustee, by the Trust Indenture Act. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, no provision of this Declaration shall require any Trustee or
Administrator to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise
of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for
believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity satisfactory to it
against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not
therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Declaration relating to
the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the
Trustees or the Administrators shall be subject to the provisions of this
Article. Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed to release a Trustee
from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act,
or its own willful misconduct or bad faith. Nothing in this Declaration shall be
construed to release an Administrator from liability for its own gross negligent
action, its own gross negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct or
bad faith. To the extent that, at law or in equity, a Trustee or an
Administrator has duties and liabilities relating to the Trust or to the
Holders, such Trustee or Administrator shall not be liable to the Trust or to
any Holder for such Trustee's or Administrator's good faith reliance on the
provisions of this Declaration. The provisions of this Declaration, to the
extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of the Administrators or
the Trustees otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Sponsor
and the Holders to replace such other duties and liabilities of the
Administrators or the Trustees.
(c) All payments made by the Institutional Trustee or a Paying Agent
in respect of the Securities shall be made only from the revenue and proceeds
from the Trust Property and only to the extent that there shall be sufficient
revenue or proceeds from the Trust Property to enable the Institutional Trustee
or a Paying Agent to make payments in accordance with the terms hereof. Each
Holder, by its acceptance of a Security, agrees that it will look solely to the
revenue and proceeds from the Trust Property to the extent legally available for
distribution to it as herein provided and that the Trustees and the
Administrators are not personally liable to it for any amount distributable in
respect of any Security or for any other liability in respect of any Security.
This Section 2.9(c) does not limit the liability of the Trustees
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expressly set forth elsewhere in this Declaration or, in the case of the
Institutional Trustee, in the Trust Indenture Act.
(d) No provision of this Declaration shall be construed to relieve
the Institutional Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own
negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct or bad faith with
respect to matters that are within the authority of the Institutional Trustee
under this Declaration, except that:
(i) the Institutional Trustee shall not be liable for any error
or judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Institutional Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the
Institutional Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent
facts;
(ii) the Institutional Trustee shall not be liable with respect
to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in
accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities or the Common
Securities, as applicable, relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Institutional Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon
the Institutional Trustee under this Declaration;
(iii) the Institutional Trustee's sole duty with respect to the
custody, safe keeping and physical preservation of the Debentures and
the Property Account shall be to deal with such property in a similar
manner as the Institutional Trustee deals with similar property for
its own account, subject to the protections and limitations on
liability afforded to the Institutional Trustee under this Declaration
and the Trust Indenture Act;
(iv) the Institutional Trustee shall not be liable for any
interest on any money received by it except as it may otherwise agree
in writing with the Sponsor; and money held by the Institutional
Trustee need not be segregated from other funds held by it except in
relation to the Property Account maintained by the Institutional
Trustee pursuant to Section 2.8(c)(i) and except to the extent
otherwise required by law; and
(v) the Institutional Trustee shall not be responsible for
monitoring the compliance by the Administrators or the Sponsor with
their respective duties under this Declaration, nor shall the
Institutional Trustee be liable for any default or misconduct of the
Administrators or the Sponsor.
SECTION 2.10. Certain Rights of Institutional Trustee. Subject to the
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provisions of Section 2.9.
(a) the Institutional Trustee may conclusively rely and shall fully
be protected in acting or refraining from acting in good faith upon any
resolution, written opinion of counsel, certificate, written representation of a
Holder or transferee, certificate of auditors or any other certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent,
order, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other
paper or document
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believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties;
(b) if (i) in performing its duties under this Declaration, the
Institutional Trustee is required to decide between alternative courses of
action, (ii) in construing any of the provisions of this Declaration, the
Institutional Trustee finds the same ambiguous or inconsistent with any other
provisions contained herein, or (iii) the Institutional Trustee is unsure of the
application of any provision of this Declaration, then, except as to any matter
as to which the Holders of Capital Securities are entitled to vote under the
terms of this Declaration, the Institutional Trustee may deliver a notice to the
Sponsor requesting the Sponsor's opinion as to the course of action to be taken
and the Institutional Trustee shall take such action, or refrain from taking
such action, as the Institutional Trustee in its sole discretion shall deem
advisable and in the best interests of the Holders, in which event the
Institutional Trustee shall have no liability except for its own negligence or
willful misconduct;
(c) any direction or act of the Sponsor or the Administrators
contemplated by this Declaration shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers'
Certificate;
(d) whenever in the administration of this Declaration, the
Institutional Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or
established before undertaking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the
Institutional Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed)
may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely upon
an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such request, shall be promptly
delivered by the Sponsor or the Administrators;
(e) the Institutional Trustee shall have no duty to see to any
recording, filing or registration of any instrument (including any financing or
continuation statement or any filing under tax or securities laws) or any
rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof;
(f) the Institutional Trustee may consult with counsel of its
selection (which counsel may be counsel to the Sponsor or any of its Affiliates)
and the advice of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and
protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder
in good faith and in reliance thereon and in accordance with such advice; the
Institutional Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions
concerning the administration of this Declaration from any court of competent
jurisdiction;
(g) the Institutional Trustee shall be under no obligation to
exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Declaration at the
request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Declaration, unless
such Holders shall have offered to the Institutional Trustee security or
indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and
liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or
direction; provided, that nothing contained in this Section 2.10(g) shall be
--------
taken to relieve the Institutional Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of
Default (of which the Institutional Trustee has knowledge (as provided in
Section 2.10(m) hereof)) that has not been cured or waived, of its obligation to
exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Declaration;
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(h) the Institutional Trustee shall not be bound to make any
investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate,
statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order,
approval, bond, debenture, note or other evidence of indebtedness or other paper
or document, unless requested in writing to do so by one or more Holders, but
the Institutional Trustee may make such further inquiry or investigation into
such facts or matters as it may see fit;
(i) the Institutional Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through its
agents or attorneys and the Institutional Trustee shall not be responsible for
any misconduct or negligence on the part of, or for the supervision of, any such
agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(j) whenever in the administration of this Declaration the
Institutional Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with
respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder,
the Institutional Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of the
Common Securities and the Capital Securities, which instructions may be given
only by the Holders of the same proportion in liquidation amount of the Common
Securities and the Capital Securities as would be entitled to direct the
Institutional Trustee under the terms of the Common Securities and the Capital
Securities in respect of such remedy, right or action, (ii) may refrain from
enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such
instructions are received, and (iii) shall be fully protected in acting in
accordance with such instructions;
(k) except as otherwise expressly provided in this Declaration, the
Institutional Trustee shall not be under any obligation to take any action that
is discretionary under the provisions of this Declaration;
(l) when the Institutional Trustee incurs expenses or renders
services in connection with a Bankruptcy Event, such expenses (including the
fees and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for such services are
intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy law or
law relating to creditors rights generally;
(m) the Institutional Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of
an Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Institutional Trustee
has actual knowledge of such event or the Institutional Trustee receives written
notice of such event from any Holder, except with respect to an Event of Default
pursuant to Sections 5.01(a), 5.01(b) or 5.01(c) of the Indenture (other than an
Event of Default resulting from the default in the payment of Additional
Interest or premium, if any, if the Institutional Trustee does not have actual
knowledge or written notice that such payment is due and payable), of which the
Institutional Trustee shall be deemed to have knowledge;
(n) any action taken by the Institutional Trustee or its agents
hereunder shall bind the Trust and the Holders of the Securities, and the
signature of the Institutional Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient
and effective to perform any such action and no third party shall be required to
inquire as to the authority of the Institutional Trustee to so act or as to its
compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this Declaration, both of
which shall be conclusively evidenced by the Institutional Trustee's or its
agent's taking such action; and
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(o) no provision of this Declaration shall be deemed to impose any
duty or obligation on the Institutional Trustee to perform any act or acts or
exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it, in any
jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the Institutional Trustee
shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to
perform any such act or acts, or to exercise any such right, power, duty or
obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Institutional
Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 2.11. Execution of Documents. Unless otherwise determined in
------------------------
writing by the Institutional Trustee, and except as otherwise required by the
Statutory Trust Act, the Institutional Trustee, or any one or more of the
Administrators, as the case may be, is authorized to execute and deliver on
behalf of the Trust any documents, agreements, instruments or certificates that
the Trustees or the Administrators, as the case may be, have the power and
authority to execute pursuant to Section 2.6.
SECTION 2.12. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The
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recitals contained in this Declaration and the Securities shall be taken as the
statements of the Sponsor, and the Trustees do not assume any responsibility for
their correctness. The Trustees make no representations as to the value or
condition of the property of the Trust or any part thereof. The Trustees make no
representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Declaration, the
Debentures or the Securities.
SECTION 2.13. Duration of Trust. The Trust, unless dissolved pursuant to
-----------------
the provisions of Article VII hereof, shall have existence for thirty-five (35)
years from the Closing Date.
SECTION 2.14. Mergers.
-------
(a) The Trust may not consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or
be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease its properties and assets
substantially as an entirety to any corporation or other Person, except as
described in this Section 2.15 and except with respect to the distribution of
Debentures to Holders of Securities pursuant to Section 7.1(a)(iv) of the
Declaration or Section 4 of Annex I.
(b) The Trust may, with the consent of the Administrators (which
consent will not be unreasonably withheld) and without the consent of the
Institutional Trustee or the Holders of the Capital Securities, consolidate,
amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by, or convey, transfer or lease
its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to a
trust organized as such under the laws of any state; provided, that:
--------
(i) if the Trust is not the survivor, such successor entity (the
"Successor Entity") either:
(A) expressly assumes all of the obligations of the Trust
under the Securities; or
(B) substitutes for the Securities other securities having
substantially the same terms as the Securities (the "Successor
Securities")
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so that the Successor Securities rank the same as the Securities
rank with respect to Distributions and payments upon Liquidation,
redemption and otherwise;
(ii) the Sponsor expressly appoints a trustee of the Successor
Entity that possesses the same powers and duties as the Institutional
Trustee;
(iii) the Capital Securities or any Successor Securities
(excluding any securities substituted for the Common Securities) are
listed or quoted, or any Successor Securities will be listed or quoted
upon notification of issuance, on any national securities exchange or
with another organization on which the Capital Securities are then
listed or quoted, if any;
(iv) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease does not cause the Capital Securities
(including any Successor Securities) to be downgraded by any
nationally recognized statistical rating organization, if the Capital
Securities are then rated;
(v) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the rights,
preferences and privileges of the Holders of the Securities (including
any Successor Securities) in any material respect (other than with
respect to any dilution of such Holders' interests in the Successor
Entity as a result of such merger, consolidation, amalgamation or
replacement);
(vi) such Successor Entity has a purpose substantially identical
to that of the Trust;
(vii) prior to such merger, consolidation, amalgamation,
replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the Trust has received a
written opinion of a nationally recognized independent counsel to the
Trust experienced in such matters to the effect that:
(A) such merger, consolidation, amalgamation, replacement,
conveyance, transfer or lease does not adversely affect the
rights, preferences and privileges of the Holders of the
Securities (including any Successor Securities) in any material
respect (other than with respect to any dilution of the Holders'
interests in the Successor Entity);
(B) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation,
replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, neither the Trust nor
the Successor Entity will be required to register as an
Investment Company; and
(C) following such merger, consolidation, amalgamation,
replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the Trust (or the
Successor Entity) will continue to be classified as a grantor
trust for United States federal income tax purposes;
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(viii) the Sponsor guarantees the obligations of such Successor
Entity under the Successor Securities to the same extent provided by
the Guarantee, the Debentures and this Declaration; and
(ix) prior to such merger, consolidation, amalgamation,
replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease, the Institutional Trustee
shall have received an Officers' Certificate of the Administrators and
an opinion of counsel, each to the effect that all conditions
precedent of this paragraph (b) to such transaction have been
satisfied.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 2.15(b), the Trust shall not, except with
the consent of Holders of 100% in liquidation amount of the Securities,
consolidate, amalgamate, merge with or into, or be replaced by, or convey,
transfer or lease its properties and assets as an entirety or substantially as
an entirety to, any other Person or permit any other Person to consolidate,
amalgamate, merge with or into, or replace it if such consolidation,
amalgamation, merger, replacement, conveyance, transfer or lease would cause the
Trust or Successor Entity to be classified as other than a grantor trust for
United States federal income tax purposes.
ARTICLE III
SPONSOR
SECTION 3.1. Sponsor's Purchase of Common Securities. On the Closing
-------------------------------------------
Date, the Sponsor will purchase all of the Common Securities issued by the
Trust, in an amount at least equal to 3% of the capital of the Trust, at the
same time as the Capital Securities are sold.
SECTION 3.2. Responsibilities of the Sponsor. In connection with the
----------------------------------
issue and sale of the Capital Securities, the Sponsor shall have the exclusive
right and responsibility and sole decision to engage in, or direct the
Administrators to engage in, the following activities:
(a) to determine the States in which to take appropriate action to
qualify or register for sale of all or part of the Capital Securities and to do
any and all such acts, other than actions which must be taken by the Trust, and
advise the Trust of actions it must take, and prepare for execution and filing
any documents to be executed and filed by the Trust, as the Sponsor deems
necessary or advisable in order to comply with the applicable laws of any such
States;
(b) to prepare for filing and request the Administrators to cause the
filing by the Trust, as may be appropriate, of an application to the PORTAL
system, for listing or quotation upon notice of issuance of any Capital
Securities, as requested by the Holders of not less than a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Capital Securities; and
(c) to negotiate the terms of and/or execute and deliver on behalf of
the Trust, the Placement Agreement and other related agreements providing for
the sale of the Capital Securities.
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ARTICLE IV
TRUSTEES AND ADMINISTRATORS
SECTION 4.1. Number of Trustees. The number of Trustees initially shall
-------------------
be one, and:
(a) at any time before the issuance of any Securities, the Sponsor
may, by written instrument, increase or decrease the number of Trustees; and
(b) after the issuance of any Securities, the number of Trustees may
be increased or decreased by vote of the Holder of a Majority in liquidation
amount of the Common Securities voting as a class at a meeting of the Holder of
the Common Securities; provided, however, that there shall always be one Trustee
-------- -------
who shall be the Institutional Trustee.
SECTION 4.2. Institutional Trustee; Eligibility.
------------------------------------
(a) There shall at all times be one Trustee which shall act as
Institutional Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Sponsor;
(ii) not offer or provide credit or credit enhancement to the
Trust; and
(iii) be a banking corporation or national association organized
and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or
any state thereof or of the District of Columbia and authorized under
such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined
capital and surplus of at least fifty million U.S. dollars
($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by federal,
state or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation or
national association publishes reports of condition at least annually,
pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining
authority referred to above, then for the purposes of this Section
4.3(a)(iii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation or
national association shall be deemed to be its combined capital and
surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so
published.
(b) If at any time the Institutional Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.2(a), the Institutional Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set forth in Section 4.5.
(c) If the Institutional Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Sec. 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act, the Institutional Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign,
to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to this Declaration.
(d) The initial Institutional Trustee shall be U.S. Bank National
Association.
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SECTION 4.3. Administrators. Each Administrator shall be a U.S. Person.
--------------
There shall at all times be at least one Administrator. Except where a
requirement for action by a specific number of Administrators is expressly set
forth in this Declaration and except with respect to any action the taking of
which is the subject of a meeting of the Administrators, any action required or
permitted to be taken by the Administrators may be taken by, and any power of
the Administrators may be exercised by, or with the consent of, any one such
Administrator acting alone.
SECTION 4.4. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of the Trustees and the
------------------------------------------------------------
Administrators.
- --------------
(a) No resignation or removal of any Trustee and no appointment of a
successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the
acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the
applicable requirements of this Section 4.4.
(b) Subject to Section 4.4(a), a Trustee may resign at any time by
giving written notice thereof to the Holders of the Securities and by appointing
a successor Trustee. Upon the resignation of the Institutional Trustee, the
Institutional Trustee shall appoint a successor by requesting from at least
three Persons meeting the eligibility requirements their expenses and charges to
serve as the successor Institutional Trustee on a form provided by the
Administrators, and selecting the Person who agrees to the lowest reasonable
expense and charges (the "Successor Institutional Trustee"). If the instrument
of acceptance by the successor Trustee required by this Section 4.4 shall not
have been delivered to the Trustee within 60 days after the giving of such
notice of resignation or delivery of the instrument of removal, the Trustee may
petition, at the expense of the Trust, any federal, state or District of
Columbia court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor
Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it
may deem proper, appoint a Trustee. The Institutional Trustee shall have no
liability for the selection of such successor pursuant to this Section 4.4.
(c) Unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing,
any Trustee may be removed at any time by an act of the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Common Securities. If any Trustee shall be so removed,
the Holders of the Common Securities, by act of the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Common Securities delivered to the Trustee, shall
promptly appoint a successor Trustee, and such successor Trustee shall comply
with the applicable requirements of this Section 4.4. If an Event of Default
shall have occurred and be continuing, the Institutional Trustee may be removed
by the act of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities, delivered to the Trustee (in its individual capacity and on behalf
of the Trust). If any Trustee shall be so removed, the Holders of Capital
Securities, by act of the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities then outstanding delivered to the Trustee, shall promptly
appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees, and such successor Trustee shall comply
with the applicable requirements of this Section 4.4. If no successor Trustee
shall have been so appointed by the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount
of the Capital Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by
this Section 4.4 within 30 days after delivery of an instrument of removal, the
Trustee or any Holder who has been a Holder of the Securities for at least six
months may, on
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behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any federal, state
or District of Columbia court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a
successor Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if
any, as it may deem proper, appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees.
(d) The Institutional Trustee shall give notice of each resignation
and each removal of a Trustee and each appointment of a successor Trustee to all
Holders and to the Sponsor. Each notice shall include the name of the successor
Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office if it is the Institutional
Trustee.
(e) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee, the
retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities shall
execute and deliver an amendment hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall
accept such appointment and which (a) shall contain such provisions as shall be
necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each
successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring
Trustee with respect to the Securities and the Trust and (b) shall add to or
change any of the provisions of this Declaration as shall be necessary to
provide for or facilitate the administration of the Trust by more than one
Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such amendment shall
constitute such Trustees co-trustees and upon the execution and delivery of such
amendment the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become
effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee,
without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the
rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on request of
the Trust or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all Trust Property, all proceeds
thereof and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the
Securities and the Trust subject to the payment of all unpaid fees, expenses and
indemnities of such retiring Trustee.
(f) No Institutional Trustee shall be liable for the acts or
omissions to act of any Successor Institutional Trustee.
(g) The Holders of the Capital Securities will have no right to vote
to appoint, remove or replace the Administrators, which voting rights are vested
exclusively in the Holders of the Common Securities.
SECTION 4.5. Vacancies Among Trustees. If a Trustee ceases to hold office
------------------------
for any reason and the number of Trustees is not reduced pursuant to Section
4.1, or if the number of Trustees is increased pursuant to Section 4.1, a
vacancy shall occur. A resolution certifying the existence of such vacancy by
the Trustees or, if there are more than two, a majority of the Trustees shall be
conclusive evidence of the existence of such vacancy. The vacancy shall be
filled with a Trustee appointed in accordance with Section 4.4.
SECTION 4.6. Effect of Vacancies. The death, resignation, retirement,
---------------------
removal, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation, incompetence or incapacity to
perform the duties of a Trustee shall not operate to dissolve, terminate or
annul the Trust or terminate this Declaration. Whenever a vacancy in the number
of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of a
Trustee in accordance with Section 4.4, the Institutional Trustee shall have all
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the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed
upon the Trustees by this Declaration.
SECTION 4.7. Meetings of the Trustees and the Administrators. Meetings of
-----------------------------------------------
the Trustees or the Administrators shall be held from time to time upon the call
of any Trustee or Administrator, as applicable. Regular meetings of the Trustees
and the Administrators, respectively, may be in person in the United States or
by telephone, at a place (if applicable) and time fixed by resolution of the
Trustees or the Administrators, as applicable. Notice of any in-person meetings
of the Trustees or the Administrators shall be hand delivered or otherwise
delivered in writing (including by facsimile, with a hard copy by overnight
courier) not less than 48 hours before such meeting. Notice of any telephonic
meetings of the Trustees or the Administrators or any committee thereof shall be
hand delivered or otherwise delivered in writing (including by facsimile, with a
hard copy by overnight courier) not less than 24 hours before a meeting. Notices
shall contain a brief statement of the time, place and anticipated purposes of
the meeting. The presence (whether in person or by telephone) of a Trustee or an
Administrator, as the case may be, at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of
notice of such meeting except where a Trustee or an Administrator, as the case
may be, attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the
transaction of any activity on the ground that the meeting has not been lawfully
called or convened. Unless provided otherwise in this Declaration, any action of
the Trustees or the Administrators, as the case may be, may be taken at a
meeting by vote of a majority of the Trustees or the Administrators present
(whether in person or by telephone) and eligible to vote with respect to such
matter; provided, that, in the case of the Administrators, a Quorum is present,
--------
or without a meeting by the unanimous written consent of the Trustees or the
Administrators, as the case may be. Meetings of the Trustees and the
Administrators together shall be held from time to time upon the call of any
Trustee or Administrator.
SECTION 4.8. Delegation of Power.
---------------------
(a) Any Trustee or any Administrator, as the case may be, may, by
power of attorney consistent with applicable law, delegate to any other natural
person over the age of 21 that is a U.S. Person his or her power for the purpose
of executing any documents, instruments or other writings contemplated in
Section 2.6.
(b) The Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to time to
such of their number or to any officer of the Trust that is a U.S. Person, the
doing of such things and the execution of such instruments or other writings
either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Trustees or otherwise as the
Trustees may deem expedient, to the extent such delegation is not prohibited by
applicable law or contrary to the provisions of the Trust, as set forth herein.
SECTION 4.9. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Any Person into which the Institutional Trustee may be merged or converted or
with which either may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Institutional Trustee shall be a party,
or any Person succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust
business of the Institutional Trustee shall be the successor of the
Institutional Trustee hereunder, without the execution or filing of any paper or
any further act on
-27-
the part of any of the parties hereto, provided such Person shall be otherwise
qualified and eligible under this Article.
ARTICLE V
DISTRIBUTIONS
SECTION 5.1. Distributions.
-------------
(a) Holders shall receive Distributions in accordance with the applicable
terms of the relevant Holder's Securities. Distributions shall be made on the
Capital Securities and the Common Securities in accordance with the preferences
set forth in their respective terms. If and to the extent that the Debenture
Issuer makes a payment of interest (including any Additional Interest or
Deferred Interest) or premium, if any, on and/or principal on the Debentures
held by the Institutional Trustee (the amount of any such payment being a
"Payment Amount"), the Institutional Trustee shall and is directed, to the
extent funds are available in the Property Account for that purpose, to make a
distribution (a "Distribution") of the Payment Amount to Holders. For the
avoidance of doubt, funds in the Property Account shall not be distributed to
Holders to the extent of any taxes payable by the Trust, in the case of
withholding taxes, as determined by the Institutional Trustee or any Paying
Agent and, in the case of taxes other than withholding tax taxes, as determined
by the Administrators in a written notice to the Institutional Trustee.
(b) As a condition to the payment of any principal of or interest on the
Securities without the imposition of withholding tax, the Administrators shall
require the previous delivery of properly completed and signed applicable U.S.
federal income tax certifications (generally, an Internal Revenue Service Form
W-9 (or applicable successor form) in the case of a person that is a "United
States person" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code or an
Internal Revenue Service Form W-8 (or applicable successor form) in the case of
a person that is not a "United States person" within the meaning of Section
7701(a)(30) of the Code, and any other certification acceptable to it to enable
the Institutional Trustee or any Paying Agent to determine their respective
duties and liabilities with respect to any taxes or other charges that they may
be required to pay, deduct or withhold in respect of such Securities.
ARTICLE VI
ISSUANCE OF SECURITIES
SECTION 6.1. General Provisions Regarding Securities.
------------------------------------------
(a) The Administrators shall on behalf of the Trust issue one series
of capital securities, evidenced by a certificate substantially in the form of
Exhibit A-1, representing undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the
Trust and having such terms as are set forth in Annex I (the "Capital
Securities"), and one series of common securities, evidenced by a certificate
substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2, representing undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Trust and having such terms as are set forth in
Annex I (the "Common Securities"). The Trust shall issue no securities or other
interests in the assets of the Trust other than the Capital Securities and the
Common Securities. The Capital Securities rank pari passu and payment thereon
shall be made Pro Rata with the Common Securities except that, where an
-28-
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the rights of Holders of the
Common Securities to payment in respect of Distributions and payments upon
liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the rights to payment
of the Holders of the Capital Securities.
(b) The Certificates shall be signed on behalf of the Trust by one or
more Administrators. Such signature shall be the facsimile or manual signature
of any Administrator. In case any Administrator of the Trust who shall have
signed any of the Securities shall cease to be such Administrator before the
Certificates so signed shall be delivered by the Trust, such Certificates
nevertheless may be delivered as though the person who signed such Certificates
had not ceased to be such Administrator. Any Certificate may be signed on behalf
of the Trust by such person who, at the actual date of execution of such
Security, shall be an Administrator of the Trust, although at the date of the
execution and delivery of the Declaration any such person was not such an
Administrator. A Capital Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the
manual signature of an Authorized Officer of the Institutional Trustee. Such
signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Capital Security has been
authenticated under this Declaration. Upon written order of the Trust signed by
one Administrator, the Institutional Trustee shall authenticate the Capital
Securities for original issue. The Institutional Trustee may appoint an
authenticating agent that is a U.S. Person acceptable to the Trust to
authenticate the Capital Securities. A Common Security need not be so
authenticated and shall be valid upon execution by one or more Administrators.
(c) The Capital Securities issued pursuant to Regulations of the
Securities Act or to QIBs shall be, except as provided in Section 6.4,
Book-Entry Capital Securities issued in the form of one or more Global Capital
Securities registered in the name of the Depositary, or its nominee and
deposited with the Depositary or a custodian for the Depositary for credit by
the Depositary to the respective accounts of the Depositary Participants thereof
(or such other accounts as they may direct).
(d) The consideration received by the Trust for the issuance of the
Securities shall constitute a contribution to the capital of the Trust and shall
not constitute a loan to the Trust.
(e) Upon issuance of the Securities as provided in this Declaration,
the Securities so issued shall be deemed to be validly issued, fully paid and
non-assessable, and each Holder thereof shall be entitled to the benefits
provided by this Declaration.
(f) Every Person, by virtue of having become a Holder in accordance
with the terms of this Declaration, shall be deemed to have expressly assented
and agreed to the terms of, and shall be bound by, this Declaration and the
Guarantee.
SECTION 6.2. Paying Agent, Transfer Agent, Calculation Agent and
---------------------------------------------------------
Registrar.
- ---------
(a) The Trust shall maintain in New York, New York, an office or
agency where the Securities may be presented for payment (the "Paying Agent"),
and an office or agency where Securities may be presented for registration of
transfer or exchange (the "Transfer Agent"). The Trustee hereby appoints the
Institutional Trustee as Paying Agent and Transfer Agent at U.S. Bank National
Association, 100 Wall Street, 19th Floor, New York, New York
-29-
10005, Attn: Corporate Trust Services - Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory
Trust I. The Trust shall also keep or cause to be kept a register for the
purpose of registering Securities and transfers and exchanges of Securities,
such register to be held by a registrar (the "Registrar"). The Administrators
may appoint the Paying Agent, the Registrar and the Transfer Agent, and may
appoint one or more additional Paying Agents, one or more co-Registrars, or one
or more co-Transfer Agents in such other locations as it shall determine. The
term "Paying Agent" includes any additional Paying Agent, the term "Registrar"
includes any additional Registrar or co-Registrar and the term "Transfer Agent"
includes any additional Transfer Agent or co-Transfer Agent. The Administrators
may change any Paying Agent, Transfer Agent or Registrar at any time without
prior notice to any Holder. The Administrators shall notify the Institutional
Trustee of the name and address of any Paying Agent, Transfer Agent and
Registrar not a party to this Declaration. The Administrators hereby initially
appoint the Institutional Trustee to act as Registrar for the Capital Securities
and the Common Securities at its Corporate Trust Office. The Institutional
Trustee or any of its Affiliates in the United States may act as Paying Agent,
Transfer Agent or Registrar.
(b) The Trust shall also appoint a Calculation Agent, which shall
determine the Coupon Rate in accordance with the terms of the Securities. The
Trust initially appoints the Institutional Trustee as Calculation Agent.
SECTION 6.3. Form and Dating.
-----------------
(a) The Capital Securities and the Institutional Trustee's
certificate of authentication thereon shall be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A-1, and the Common Securities shall be substantially in the form of
Exhibit A-2, each of which is hereby incorporated in and expressly made a part
of this Declaration. Certificates may be typed, printed, lithographed or
engraved or may be produced in any other manner as is reasonably acceptable to
the Administrators, as conclusively evidenced by their execution thereof. The
Certificates may have letters, numbers, notations or other marks of
identification or designation and such legends or endorsements required by law,
stock exchange rule, agreements to which the Trust is subject, if any, or usage
(provided, that any such notation, legend or endorsement is in a form acceptable
to the Sponsor). The Trust at the direction of the Sponsor shall furnish any
such legend not contained in Exhibit A-1 to the Institutional Trustee in
writing. Each Capital Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
The terms and provisions of the Securities set forth in Annex I and the forms of
Securities set forth in Exhibits A-1 and A-2 are part of the terms of this
Declaration and to the extent applicable, the Institutional Trustee, the
Administrators and the Sponsor, by their execution and delivery of this
Declaration, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound
thereby. Capital Securities will be issued only in blocks having a stated
liquidation amount of not less than $100,000 and multiples of $1,000 in excess
thereof.
(b) The Capital Securities sold by the Trust to the initial
purchasers pursuant to the Placement Agreement and the Capital Securities
Purchase Agreement shall be issued in definitive form, registered in the name of
the Holder thereof, without coupons and with the Restricted Securities Legend.
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SECTION 6.4. Book-Entry Capital Securities.
-------------------------------
(a) A Global Capital Security may be exchanged, in whole or in part,
for Definitive Capital Securities Certificates registered in the names of Owners
only if such exchange complies with Article VIII and (i) the Depositary advises
the Administrators and the Institutional Trustee in writing that the Depositary
is no longer willing or able properly to discharge its responsibilities with
respect to the Global Capital Security, and no qualified successor is appointed
by the Administrators within ninety (90) days of receipt of such notice, (ii)
the Depositary ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act
and the Administrators fail to appoint a qualified successor within ninety (90)
days of obtaining knowledge of such event, (iii) the Administrators at their
option advise the Institutional Trustee in writing that the Trust elects to
terminate the book-entry system through the Depositary or (iv) an Indenture
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing. Upon the occurrence of any
event specified in clause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, the Administrators
shall notify the Depositary and instruct the Depositary to notify all Owners of
Book-Entry Capital Securities and the Institutional Trustee of the occurrence of
such event and of the availability of Definitive Capital Securities Certificates
to Owners of the Capital Securities requesting the same. Upon the issuance of
Definitive Capital Securities Certificates, the Administrators and the
Institutional Trustee shall recognize the Holders of the Definitive Capital
Securities Certificates as Holders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Owner
of a beneficial interest in a Global Capital Security wishes at any time to
transfer an interest in such Global Capital Security to a Person other than a
QIB, such transfer shall be effected, subject to the Applicable Depository
Procedures, in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.4 and Article
VIII, and the transferee shall receive a Definitive Capital Securities
Certificate in connection with such transfer. A holder of a Definitive Capital
Securities Certificate that is a QIB may upon request, and in accordance with
the provisions of this Section 6.4 and Article VIII, exchange such Definitive
Capital Securities Certificate for a beneficial interest in a Global Capital
Security.
(b) If any Global Capital Security is to be exchanged for Definitive
Capital Securities Certificates or canceled in part, or if any Definitive
Capital Securities Certificate is to be exchanged in whole or in part for any
Global Capital Security, then either (i) such Global Capital Security shall be
so surrendered for exchange or cancellation as provided in this Section 6.4 and
Article VIII or (ii) the aggregate liquidation amount represented by such Global
Capital Security shall be reduced, subject to Section 6.3, or increased by an
amount equal to the liquidation amount represented by that portion of the Global
Capital Security to be so exchanged or canceled, or equal to the liquidation
amount represented by such Definitive Capital Securities Certificates to be so
exchanged for any Global Capital Security, as the case may be, by means of an
appropriate adjustment made on the records of the Securities Registrar,
whereupon the Institutional Trustee, in accordance with the Applicable
Depositary Procedures, shall instruct the Depositary or its authorized
representative to make a corresponding adjustment to its records. Upon any such
surrender to the Administrators or the Registrar of any Global Capital Security
or Securities by the Depositary, accompanied by registration instructions, the
Administrators, or any one of them, shall execute the Definitive Capital
Securities Certificates in accordance with the instructions of the Depositary.
None of the Registrar, Administrators, or the Institutional Trustee shall be
liable for any delay in delivery of such instructions and may conclusively rely
on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, such instructions.
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(c) Every Definitive Capital Securities Certificate executed and
delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a
Global Capital Security or any portion thereof shall be executed and delivered
in the form of, and shall be, a Global Capital Security, unless such Definitive
Capital Securities Certificate is registered in the name of a Person other than
the Depositary for such Global Capital Security or a nominee thereof.
(d) The Depositary or its nominee, as registered owner of a Global
Capital Security, shall be the Holder of such Global Capital Security for all
purposes under this Declaration and the Global Capital Security, and Owners with
respect to a Global Capital Security shall hold such interests pursuant to the
Applicable Depositary Procedures. The Registrar, the Administrators and the
Institutional Trustee shall be entitled to deal with the Depositary for all
purposes of this Declaration relating to the Global Capital Securities
(including the payment of the liquidation amount of and Distributions on the
Book-Entry Capital Securities represented thereby and the giving of instructions
or directions by Owners of Book-Entry Capital Securities represented thereby and
the giving of notices) as the sole Holder of the Book-Entry Capital Securities
represented thereby and shall have no obligations to the Owners thereof. None
of the Administrators, the Institutional Trustee nor the Registrar shall have
any liability in respect of any transfers effected by the Depositary.
(e) The rights of the Owners of the Book-Entry Capital Securities
shall be exercised only through the Depositary and shall be limited to those
established by law, the Applicable Depositary Procedures and agreements between
such Owners and the Depositary and/or the Depositary Participants; provided,
--------
solely for the purpose of determining whether the Holders of the requisite
amount of Capital Securities have voted on any matter provided for in this
Declaration, to the extent that Capital Securities are represented by a Global
Capital Security, the Administrators and the Institutional Trustee may
conclusively rely on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, any written
instrument (including a proxy) delivered to the Institutional Trustee by the
Depositary setting forth the Owners' votes or assigning the right to vote on any
matter to any other Persons either in whole or in part. To the extent that
Capital Securities are represented by a Global Capital Security, the initial
Depositary will make book-entry transfers among the Depositary Participants and
receive and transmit payments on the Capital Securities that are represented by
a Global Capital Security to such Depositary Participants, and none of the
Sponsor, the Administrators or the Institutional Trustee shall have any
responsibility or obligation with respect thereto.
(f) To the extent that a notice or other communication to the Holders
is required under this Declaration, for so long as Capital Securities are
represented by a Global Capital Security, the Administrator and the
Institutional Trustee shall give all such notices and communications to the
Depositary, and shall have no obligations to the Owners.
SECTION 6.5. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Certificates. If: (a)
-------------------------------------------------
any mutilated Certificates should be surrendered to the Registrar, or if the
Registrar shall receive evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or
theft of any Certificate; and (b) there shall be delivered to the Registrar, the
Administrators and the Institutional Trustee such security or indemnity as may
be required by them to hold each of them harmless; then, in the absence of
notice that such Certificate shall have been acquired by a bona fide purchaser,
an Administrator on behalf of the Trust shall execute (and in the case of a
Capital Security Certificate, the Institutional Trustee
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shall authenticate) and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Certificate, a new Certificate of like
denomination. In connection with the issuance of any new Certificate under this
Section 6.4, the Registrar or the Administrators may require the payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed
in connection therewith. Any duplicate Certificate issued pursuant to this
Section shall constitute conclusive evidence of an ownership interest in the
relevant Securities, as if originally issued, whether or not the lost, stolen or
destroyed Certificate shall be found at any time.
SECTION 6.6. Temporary Securities. Until definitive Securities are ready
--------------------
for delivery, the Administrators may prepare and, in the case of the Capital
Securities, the Institutional Trustee shall authenticate, temporary Securities.
Temporary Securities shall be substantially in form of definitive Securities but
may have variations that the Administrators consider appropriate for temporary
Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Administrators shall prepare and, in
the case of the Capital Securities, the Institutional Trustee shall authenticate
definitive Securities in exchange for temporary Securities.
SECTION 6.7. Cancellation. The Administrators at any time may deliver
-------------
Securities to the Registrar for cancellation. The Registrar shall forward to the
Institutional Trustee any Securities surrendered to it for registration of
transfer, redemption or payment. The Institutional Trustee shall promptly cancel
all Securities surrendered for registration of transfer, payment, replacement or
cancellation and shall dispose of such canceled Securities in accordance with
its standard procedures or otherwise as the Administrators direct. The
Administrators may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that have been
paid or that have been delivered to the Institutional Trustee for cancellation.
SECTION 6.8. Rights of Holders; Waivers of Past Defaults.
-------------------------------------------------
(a) The legal title to the Trust Property is vested exclusively in
the Institutional Trustee (in its capacity as such) in accordance with Section
2.5, and the Holders shall not have any right or title therein other than the
undivided beneficial interest in the assets of the Trust conferred by their
Securities and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of
property, profits or rights of the Trust except as described below. The
Securities shall be personal property giving only the rights specifically set
forth therein and in this Declaration. The Securities shall have no, and the
issuance of the Securities shall not be subject to, preemptive or other similar
rights and when issued and delivered to Holders against payment of the purchase
price therefor, the Securities will be fully paid and nonassessable by the
Trust.
(b) For so long as any Capital Securities remain outstanding, if,
upon an Indenture Event of Default under Sections 5.01(c), (e) or (f) of the
Indenture, the Debenture Trustee fails or the holders of not less than 25% in
principal amount of the outstanding Debentures fail to declare the principal of
all of the Debentures to be immediately due and payable, the Holders of not less
than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities then outstanding
shall have the right to make such declaration by a notice in writing to the
Institutional Trustee, the Sponsor and the Debenture Trustee.
(c) Upon an Indenture Event of Default under Sections 5.01(c), (e) or
(f) at any time after a declaration of acceleration of maturity of the
Debentures has been made and
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before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by
the Debenture Trustee as provided in the Indenture, if the Institutional
Trustee, subject to the provisions hereof, fails to annul any such declaration
and waive such default, the Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation
amount of the Capital Securities, by written notice to the Institutional
Trustee, the Sponsor and the Debenture Trustee, may rescind and annul such
declaration and its consequences if:
(i) the Sponsor has paid or deposited with the Debenture Trustee
a sum sufficient to pay
(A) all overdue installments of interest on all of the
Debentures;
(B) any accrued Deferred Interest on all of the Debentures;
(C) all payments on any Debentures that have become due
otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest
and Deferred Interest thereon at the rate borne by the
Debentures; and
(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Debenture Trustee
under the Indenture and the reasonable compensation, documented
expenses, disbursements and advances of the Debenture Trustee and
the Institutional Trustee, their agents and counsel; and
(ii) all Events of Default with respect to the Debentures, other
than the non-payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on the
Debentures that has become due solely by such acceleration, have been
cured or waived as provided in Section 5.07 of the Indenture.
(d) The Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of
the Capital Securities may, on behalf of the Holders of all the Capital
Securities, waive any past default or Event of Default, except a default or
Event of Default in the payment of principal or interest (unless such default or
Event of Default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured
installments of interest and principal due otherwise than by acceleration has
been deposited with the Debenture Trustee) or a default or Event of Default in
respect of a covenant or provision that under the Indenture cannot be modified
or amended without the consent of the holder of each outstanding Debenture. No
such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right
consequent thereon.
(e) Upon receipt by the Institutional Trustee of written notice
declaring such an acceleration, or rescission and annulment thereof, by Holders
of any part of the Capital Securities, a record date shall be established for
determining Holders of outstanding Capital Securities entitled to join in such
notice, which record date shall be at the close of business on the day the
Institutional Trustee receives such notice. The Holders on such record date, or
their duly designated proxies, and only such Persons, shall be entitled to join
in such notice, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record
date; provided, that, unless such declaration of acceleration, or rescission and
annulment, as the case may be, shall have become effective by virtue of the
requisite percentage having joined in such notice prior to the day that is 90
days after such record date, such notice of declaration of acceleration, or
rescission and
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annulment, as the case may be, shall automatically and without further action by
any Holder be canceled and of no further effect. Nothing in this paragraph shall
prevent a Holder, or a proxy of a Holder, from giving, after expiration of such
90-day period, a new written notice of declaration of acceleration, or
rescission and annulment thereof, as the case may be, that is identical to a
written notice that has been canceled pursuant to the proviso to the preceding
sentence, in which event a new record date shall be established pursuant to the
provisions of this Section 6.7.
(f) Except as otherwise provided in this Section 6.7, the Holders of
not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities may, on
behalf of the Holders of all the Capital Securities, waive any past default or
Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such default or
Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any default or Event of Default
arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this
Declaration, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default
or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
ARTICLE VII
DISSOLUTION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST
SECTION 7.1. Dissolution and Termination of Trust.
----------------------------------------
(a) The Trust shall dissolve on the first to occur of
(i) unless earlier dissolved, on December 15, 2040, the
expiration of the term of the Trust;
(ii) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to the Sponsor, the Trust
or the Debenture Issuer;
(iii) (other than in connection with a merger, consolidation or
similar transaction not prohibited by the Indenture, this Declaration
or the Guarantee, as the case may be) the filing of a certificate of
dissolution or its equivalent with respect to the Sponsor or upon the
revocation of the charter of the Sponsor and the expiration of 90 days
after the date of revocation without a reinstatement thereof;
(iv) the distribution of all of the Debentures to the Holders of
the Securities, upon exercise of the right of the Holders of all of
the outstanding Common Securities to dissolve the Trust as provided in
Annex I hereto;
(v) the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution of any Holder
of the Common Securities, the Sponsor, the Trust or the Debenture
Issuer;
(vi) when all of the Securities shall have been called for
redemption and the amounts necessary for redemption thereof shall have
been paid to the Holders in accordance with the terms of the
Securities; or
(vii) before the issuance of any Securities, with the consent of
all of the Trustees and the Sponsor.
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(b) As soon as is practicable after the occurrence of an event
referred to in Section 7.1(a), and after satisfaction of liabilities to
creditors of the Trust as required by applicable law, and subject to the terms
set forth in Annex I, the Institutional Trustee shall terminate the Trust by
filing, at the expense of the Sponsor, a certificate of cancellation with the
Secretary of State of the State of Connecticut in accordance with Section 34-503
of the Statutory Trust Act.
(c) The provisions of Section 2.9 and Article IX shall survive the
termination of the Trust.
ARTICLE VIII
TRANSFER OF INTERESTS
SECTION 8.1. General.
-------
(a) Subject to Section 6.4 and Section 8.1(c), when Capital
Securities are presented to the Registrar with a request to register a transfer
or to exchange them for an equal number of Capital Securities represented by
different Certificates, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the
exchange if the requirements provided for herein for such transactions are met.
To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trust shall issue and
the Institutional Trustee shall authenticate Capital Securities at the
Registrar's request.
(b) Upon issuance of the Common Securities, the Sponsor shall acquire
and retain beneficial and record ownership of the Common Securities and, for so
long as the Securities remain outstanding, the Sponsor shall maintain 100%
ownership of the Common Securities; provided, however, that any permitted
successor of the Sponsor under the Indenture that is a U.S. Person may succeed
to the Sponsor's ownership of the Common Securities.
(c) Capital Securities may only be transferred, in whole or in part,
in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in this Declaration and in
the terms of the Capital Securities. To the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, any transfer or purported transfer of any Security not made in
accordance with this Declaration shall be null and void and will be deemed to be
of no legal effect whatsoever and any such transferee shall be deemed not to be
the holder of such Capital Securities for any purpose, including but not limited
to the receipt of Distributions on such Capital Securities, and such transferee
shall be deemed to have no interest whatsoever in such Capital Securities.
(d) The Registrar shall provide for the registration of Securities
and of transfers of Securities, which will be effected without charge but only
upon payment (with such indemnity as the Registrar may require) in respect of
any tax or other governmental charges that may be imposed in relation to it.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Securities, the Registrar
shall cause one or more new Securities to be issued in the name of the
designated transferee or transferees. Any Security issued upon any registration
of transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of this Declaration shall evidence
the same Security and shall be entitled to the same benefits under this
Declaration as the Security surrendered upon such registration of transfer or
exchange. Every Security surrendered for registration of transfer shall be
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Registrar duly
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executed by the Holder or such Holder's attorney duly authorized in writing.
Each Security surrendered for registration of transfer shall be canceled by the
Institutional Trustee pursuant to Section 6.6. A transferee of a Security shall
be entitled to the rights and subject to the obligations of a Holder hereunder
upon the receipt by such transferee of a Security. By acceptance of a Security,
each transferee shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by this Declaration.
(e) Neither the Trust nor the Registrar shall be required (i) to
issue, register the transfer of, or exchange any Securities during a period
beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of
Securities for redemption and ending at the close of business on the earliest
date on which the relevant notice of redemption is deemed to have been given to
all Holders of the Securities to be redeemed, or (ii) to register the transfer
or exchange of any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part,
except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.
SECTION 8.2. Transfer Procedures and Restrictions.
---------------------------------------
(a) The Capital Securities shall bear the Restricted Securities
Legend (as defined below), which shall not be removed unless there is delivered
to the Trust such satisfactory evidence, which may include an opinion of counsel
reasonably acceptable to the Administrators and the Institutional Trustee, as
may be reasonably required by the Trust or the Institutional Trustee, that
neither the legend nor the restrictions on transfer set forth therein are
required to ensure that transfers thereof comply with the provisions of the
Securities Act or that such Securities are not "restricted" within the meaning
of Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Upon provision of such satisfactory
evidence, the Institutional Trustee, at the written direction of the
Administrators, shall authenticate and deliver Capital Securities that do not
bear the Restricted Securities Legend (other than the legend contemplated by
Section 8.2(d)).
(b) When Capital Securities are presented to the Registrar (x) to
register the transfer of such Capital Securities, or (y) to exchange such
Capital Securities for an equal number of Capital Securities represented by
different Certificates, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the
exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are
met; provided, however, that the Capital Securities surrendered for registration
-------- -------
of transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written
instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrators,
the Institutional Trustee and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof
or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
(c) Except as permitted by Section 8.2(a), each Capital Security
shall bear a legend (the "Restricted Securities Legend") in substantially the
following form:
THIS CAPITAL SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE
DECLARATION HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY ("DTC") OR A NOMINEE OF DTC. THIS CAPITAL SECURITY IS
EXCHANGEABLE FOR CAPITAL SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER
THAN DTC OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE
DECLARATION, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS CAPITAL SECURITY (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF
THIS
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CAPITAL SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY DTC TO A NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY A NOMINEE OF DTC TO
DTC OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF DTC) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES.
UNLESS THIS CAPITAL SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
OF DTC TO SOUTHEASTERN BANK FINANCIAL STATUTORY TRUST I OR ITS AGENT FOR
REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CAPITAL SECURITY ISSUED
IS REGISTERED AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY
PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER
HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR ANY OTHER
APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS
ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY ONLY
(A) TO THE DEBENTURE ISSUER OR THE TRUST, (B) PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT ("RULE 144A") TO A PERSON THE HOLDER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A
"QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS
OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE
IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) TO A "NON
U.S. PERSON" IN AN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT, (D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
OF THE SECURITIES ACT TO AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING OF
SUBPARAGRAPH (a) (1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF RULE 501 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT
IS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN
"ACCREDITED INVESTOR," FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR FOR
OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THE
SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE DEBENTURE
ISSUER'S AND THE TRUST'S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER
PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL,
CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST, A COPY OF WHICH
MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DEBENTURE ISSUER OR THE TRUST. THE HOLDER OF THIS
SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES THAT IT WILL COMPLY WITH THE FOREGOING
RESTRICTIONS.
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THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES, REPRESENTS AND
WARRANTS THAT IT WILL NOT ENGAGE IN HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTIONS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF ALSO AGREES,
REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT, INDIVIDUAL
RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER PLAN OR ARRANGEMENT SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED ("ERISA"), OR
SECTION 4975 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE "CODE"),
(EACH A "PLAN"), OR AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS INCLUDE "PLAN ASSETS" BY
REASON OF ANY PLAN'S INVESTMENT IN THE ENTITY AND NO PERSON INVESTING "PLAN
ASSETS" OF ANY PLAN MAY ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN,
UNLESS SUCH PURCHASER OR HOLDER IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTION RELIEF AVAILABLE
UNDER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROHIBITED TRANSACTION CLASS EXEMPTION 96-23,
95-60, 91-38, 90-1 OR 84-14 OR ANOTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION OR ITS PURCHASE AND
HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY IS NOT PROHIBITED BY SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION
4975 OF THE CODE WITH RESPECT TO SUCH PURCHASE OR HOLDING. ANY PURCHASER OR
HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE
REPRESENTED BY ITS PURCHASE AND HOLDING THEREOF THAT EITHER (i) IT IS NOT AN
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 3(3) OF ERISA, OR A PLAN TO
WHICH SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE IS APPLICABLE, A TRUSTEE OR OTHER PERSON ACTING
ON BEHALF OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY
USING THE ASSETS OF ANY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN TO FINANCE SUCH PURCHASE,
OR (ii) SUCH PURCHASE WILL NOT RESULT IN A PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION
406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO APPLICABLE
STATUTORY OR ADMINISTRATIVE EXEMPTION.
IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER OF THE CERTIFICATE WILL DELIVER
TO THE REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS
MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST TO CONFIRM THAT
THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.
THIS SECURITY WILL BE ISSUED AND MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN BLOCKS HAVING A
LIQUIDATION AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $100,000 AND MULTIPLES OF $1,000 IN EXCESS
THEREOF. ANY ATTEMPTED TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN A BLOCK HAVING A LIQUIDATION
AMOUNT OF LESS THAN $100,000 SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE VOID AND OF NO LEGAL EFFECT
WHATSOEVER. ANY SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL BE DEEMED NOT TO BE THE HOLDER
OF THIS SECURITY FOR ANY PURPOSE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE RECEIPT OF
DISTRIBUTIONS ON THIS SECURITY, AND SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL BE DEEMED TO
HAVE NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THIS SECURITY.
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(d) Capital Securities may only be transferred in minimum blocks of
$100,000 aggregate liquidation amount (100 Capital Securities) and multiples of
$1,000 in excess thereof. Any attempted transfer of Capital Securities in a
block having an aggregate liquidation amount of less than $100,000 shall be
deemed to be void and of no legal effect whatsoever. Any such purported
transferee shall be deemed not to be a Holder of such Capital Securities for any
purpose, including, but not limited to, the receipt of Distributions on such
Capital Securities, and such purported transferee shall be deemed to have no
interest whatsoever in such Capital Securities.
(e) Each party hereto understands and hereby agrees that the initial
purchaser is intended solely to be an interim holder of the Capital Securities
and is purchasing such securities to facilitate consummation of the transactions
contemplated herein and in the documents ancillary hereto. Notwithstanding any
provision in this Declaration to the contrary, the initial purchaser shall have
the right upon notice (a "Transfer Notice") to the Institutional Trustee and the
Sponsor to transfer title in and to the Capital Securities; provided the initial
purchaser shall take reasonable steps to ensure that such transfer is exempt
from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and rules
promulgated thereunder. Any Transfer Notice delivered to the Institutional
Trustee and Sponsor pursuant to the preceding sentence shall indicate the
aggregate liquidation amount of Capital Securities being transferred, the name
and address of the transferee thereof (the "Transferee") and the date of such
transfer. Notwithstanding any provision in this Declaration to the contrary, the
transfer by the initial purchaser of title in and to the Capital Securities
pursuant to a Transfer Notice shall not be subject to any requirement relating
to Opinions of Counsel, Certificates of Transfer or any other Opinion or
Certificate applicable to transfers hereunder and relating to Capital
Securities.
(f) Neither the Institutional Trustee nor the Registrar shall be
responsible for ascertaining whether any transfer hereunder complies with the
registration provisions of or any exemptions from the Securities Act, applicable
state securities laws or the applicable laws of any other jurisdiction, ERISA,
the Code or the Investment Company Act.
SECTION 8.3. Deemed Security Holders. The Trust, the Administrators, the
-----------------------
Trustees, the Paying Agent, the Transfer Agent or the Registrar may treat the
Person in whose name any Certificate shall be registered on the books and
records of the Trust as the sole holder of such Certificate and of the
Securities represented by such Certificate for purposes of receiving
Distributions and for all other purposes whatsoever and, accordingly, shall not
be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such
Certificate or in the Securities represented by such Certificate on the part of
any Person, whether or not the Trust, the Administrators, the Trustees, the
Paying Agent, the Transfer Agent or the Registrar shall have actual or other
notice thereof.
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ARTICLE IX
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY OF HOLDERS
OF SECURITIES, TRUSTEES OR OTHERS
SECTION 9.1. Liability.
---------
(a) Except as expressly set forth in this Declaration, the Guarantee
and the terms of the Securities, the Sponsor shall not be:
(i) personally liable for the return of any portion of the
capital contributions (or any return thereon) of the Holders of the
Securities which shall be made solely from assets of the Trust; and
(ii) required to pay to the Trust or to any Holder of the
Securities any deficit upon dissolution of the Trust or otherwise.
(b) The Holder of the Common Securities shall be liable for all of
the debts and obligations of the Trust (other than with respect to the
Securities) to the extent not satisfied out of the Trust's assets.
(c) Except to the extent provided in Section 9.1(b), and pursuant to
Sec. 34-523(a) of the Statutory Trust Act, the Holders of the Securities shall
be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to
stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the Connecticut
Business Corporation Act, Chapter 601 of the Connecticut General Statutes,
Section 33-600 et seq., except as otherwise specifically set forth herein.
-- ----
SECTION 9.2. Exculpation.
-----------
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable
in damages or otherwise to the Trust or any Covered Person for any loss, damage
or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such
Indemnified Person in good faith on behalf of the Trust and in a manner such
Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Declaration or by law, except that
an Indemnified Person (other than an Administrator) shall be liable for any such
loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence
or willful misconduct or bad faith with respect to such acts or omissions and
except that an Administrator shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim
incurred by reason of such Administrator's gross negligence or willful
misconduct or bad faith with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good
faith upon the records of the Trust and upon such information, opinions, reports
or statements presented to the Trust by any Person as to matters the Indemnified
Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's professional or expert
competence and, if selected by such Indemnified Person, has been selected by
such Indemnified Person with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Trust,
including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and
amount of the assets, liabilities, profits, losses or any other facts pertinent
to the existence and amount of assets from which Distributions to Holders of
Securities might properly be paid.
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(c) It is expressly understood and agreed by the parties hereto that
insofar as any document, agreement or certificate is executed on behalf of the
Trust by any Trustee (i) such document, agreement or certificate is executed and
delivered by such Trustee, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Trustee
under this Declaration in the exercise of the powers and authority conferred and
vested in it, (ii) each of the representations, undertakings and agreements made
on the part of the Trust is made and intended not as representations,
warranties, covenants, undertakings and agreements by any Trustee in its
individual capacity, but is made and intended for the purpose of binding only
the Trust and (iii) under no circumstances shall any Trustee in its individual
capacity be personally liable for the payment of any indebtedness or expenses of
the Trust or be liable for the breach or failure of any obligation,
representation, warranty or covenant made or undertaken by the Trust under this
Declaration or any other document, agreement or certificate.
SECTION 9.3. Fiduciary Duty.
---------------
(a) To the extent that, at law or in equity, an Indemnified Person
has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the
Trust or to any other Covered Person, an Indemnified Person acting under this
Declaration shall not be liable to the Trust or to any other Covered Person for
its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Declaration. The provisions of
this Declaration, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of
an Indemnified Person otherwise existing at law or in equity (other than the
duties imposed on the Institutional Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act), are
agreed by the parties hereto to replace such other duties and liabilities of the
Indemnified Person.
(b) Whenever in this Declaration an Indemnified Person is permitted
or required to make a decision:
(i) in its "discretion" or under a grant of similar authority,
the Indemnified Person shall be entitled to consider such interests
and factors as it desires, including its own interests, and shall have
no duty or obligation to give any consideration to any interest of or
factors affecting the Trust or any other Person; or
(ii) in its "good faith" or under another express standard, the
Indemnified Person shall act under such express standard and shall not
be subject to any other or different standard imposed by this
Declaration or by applicable law.
SECTION 9.4. Indemnification.
---------------
(a) (i) The Sponsor shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted
by law, any Indemnified Person who was or is a party or is threatened
to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action,
suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Trust)
by reason of the fact that such Person is or was an Indemnified Person
against expenses (including attorneys' fees and expenses), judgments,
fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by such Person
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in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such Person
acted in good faith and in a manner such Person reasonably believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust, and, with
respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause
to believe such conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action,
suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon
a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself,
create a presumption that the Indemnified Person did not act in good
faith and in a manner which such Person reasonably believed to be in
or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust, and, with respect
to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe
that such conduct was unlawful.
(ii) The Sponsor shall indemnify, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, any Indemnified Person who was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed
action or suit by or in the right of the Trust to procure a judgment
in its favor by reason of the fact that such Person is or was an
Indemnified Person against expenses (including attorneys' fees and
expenses) actually and reasonably incurred by such Person in
connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if
such Person acted in good faith and in a manner such Person reasonably
believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Trust
and except that no such indemnification shall be made in respect of
any claim, issue or matter as to which such Indemnified Person shall
have been adjudged to be liable to the Trust, unless and only to the
extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall
determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability
but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such Person is
fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which
such Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
(iii) To the extent that an Indemnified Person shall be
successful on the merits or otherwise (including dismissal of an
action without prejudice or the settlement of an action without
admission of liability) in defense of any action, suit or proceeding
referred to in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this Section 9.4(a), or in
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, such Person shall be
indemnified, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against expenses
(including attorneys' fees and expenses) actually and reasonably
incurred by such Person in connection therewith.
(iv) Any indemnification of an Administrator under paragraphs
(i) and (ii) of this Section 9.4(a) (unless ordered by a court) shall
be made by the Sponsor only as authorized in the specific case upon a
determination that indemnification of the Indemnified Person is proper
in the circumstances because such Person has met the applicable
standard of conduct set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii). Such
determination shall be made (A) by the Administrators by a majority
vote of a Quorum consisting of such Administrators who were not
parties to such action, suit or proceeding, (B) if such a Quorum is
not obtainable, or, even if obtainable, if a Quorum of disinterested
Administrators so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written
opinion, or (C) by the Common Security Holder of the Trust.
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(v) To the fullest extent permitted by law, expenses (including
attorneys' fees and expenses) incurred by an Indemnified Person in
defending a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action,
suit or proceeding referred to in paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this
Section 9.4(a) shall be paid by the Sponsor in advance of the final
disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an
undertaking by or on behalf of such Indemnified Person to repay such
amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such Person is not
entitled to be indemnified by the Sponsor as authorized in this
Section 9.4(a). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no advance shall be
made by the Sponsor if a determination is reasonably and promptly made
(1) in the case of a Company Indemnified Person (A) by the
Administrators by a majority vote of a Quorum of disinterested
Administrators, (B) if such a Quorum is not obtainable, or, even if
obtainable, if a Quorum of disinterested Administrators so directs, by
independent legal counsel in a written opinion or (C) by the Common
Security Holder of the Trust, that, based upon the facts known to the
Administrators, counsel or the Common Security Holder at the time such
determination is made, such Indemnified Person acted in bad faith or
in a manner that such Person either believed to be opposed to or did
not believe to be in the best interests of the Trust, or, with respect
to any criminal proceeding, that such Indemnified Person believed or
had reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful, or (2) in
the case of a Fiduciary Indemnified Person, by independent legal
counsel in a written opinion that, based upon the facts known to the
counsel at the time such determination is made, such Indemnified
Person acted in bad faith or in a manner that such Indemnified Person
either believed to be opposed to or did not believe to be in the best
interests of the Trust, or, with respect to any criminal proceeding,
that such Indemnified Person believed or had reasonable cause to
believe such conduct was unlawful. In no event shall any advance be
made (i) to a Company Indemnified Person in instances where the
Administrators, independent legal counsel or the Common Security
Holder reasonably determine that such Person deliberately breached
such Person's duty to the Trust or its Common or Capital Security
Holders or (ii) to a Fiduciary Indemnified Person in instances where
independent legal counsel promptly and reasonably determines in a
written opinion that such Person deliberately breached such Person's
duty to the Trust or its Common or Capital Security Holders.
(b) The Sponsor shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, each Indemnified Person from and against any and all loss,
damage, liability, tax (other than taxes based on the income of such Indemnified
Person), penalty, expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by
such Indemnified Person arising out of or in connection with or by reason of the
creation, administration or termination of the Trust, or any act or omission of
such Indemnified Person in good faith on behalf of the Trust and in a manner
such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Declaration, except that no
Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss,
damage, liability, tax, penalty, expense or claim incurred by such Indemnified
Person by reason of negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith with respect to
such acts or omissions.
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(c) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or
granted pursuant to, the other paragraphs of this Section 9.4 shall not be
deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification and
advancement of expenses may be entitled under any agreement, vote of
stockholders or disinterested directors of the Sponsor or Capital Security
Holders of the Trust or otherwise, both as to action in such Person's official
capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. All
rights to indemnification under this Section 9.4 shall be deemed to be provided
by a contract between the Sponsor and each Indemnified Person who serves in such
capacity at any time while this Section 9.4 is in effect. Any repeal or
modification of this Section 9.4 shall not affect any rights or obligations then
existing.
(d) The Sponsor or the Trust may purchase and maintain insurance on
behalf of any Person who is or was an Indemnified Person against any liability
asserted against such Person and incurred by such Person in any such capacity,
or arising out of such Person's status as such, whether or not the Sponsor would
have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability under the
provisions of this Section 9.4.
(e) For purposes of this Section 9.4, references to "the Trust" shall
include, in addition to the resulting or surviving entity, any constituent
entity (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation
or merger, so that any Person who is or was a director, trustee, officer or
employee of such constituent entity, or is or was serving at the request of such
constituent entity as a director, trustee, officer, employee or agent of another
entity, shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Section
9.4 with respect to the resulting or surviving entity as such Person would have
with respect to such constituent entity if its separate existence had continued.
(f) The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or
granted pursuant to, this Section 9.4 shall, unless otherwise provided when
authorized or ratified, continue as to a Person who has ceased to be an
Indemnified Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and
administrators of such a Person.
(g) The provisions of this Section 9.4 shall survive the termination
of this Declaration or the earlier resignation or removal of the Institutional
Trustee. The obligations of the Sponsor under this Section 9.4 to compensate and
indemnify the Trustees and to pay or reimburse the Trustees for expenses,
disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder.
Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that of the
Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustees as
such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular
Capital Securities, provided, that the Sponsor is the holder of the Common
--------
Securities.
SECTION 9.5. Outside Businesses. Any Covered Person, the Sponsor and the
------------------
Institutional Trustee (subject to Section 4.3(c)) may engage in or possess an
interest in other business ventures of any nature or description, independently
or with others, similar or dissimilar to the business of the Trust, and the
Trust and the Holders of Securities shall have no rights by virtue of this
Declaration in and to such independent ventures or the income or profits derived
therefrom, and the pursuit of any such venture, even if competitive with the
business of the Trust, shall not be deemed wrongful or improper. None of any
Covered Person, the Sponsor or
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the Institutional Trustee shall be obligated to present any particular
investment or other opportunity to the Trust even if such opportunity is of a
character that, if presented to the Trust, could be taken by the Trust, and any
Covered Person, the Sponsor and the Institutional Trustee shall have the right
to take for its own account (individually or as a partner or fiduciary) or to
recommend to others any such particular investment or other opportunity. Any
Covered Person and the Institutional Trustee may engage or be interested in any
financial or other transaction with the Sponsor or any Affiliate of the Sponsor,
or may act as depositary for, trustee or agent for, or act on any committee or
body of holders of, securities or other obligations of the Sponsor or its
Affiliates.
SECTION 9.6. Compensation; Fee.
------------------
(a) Subject to the provisions set forth in the Fee Agreement between
the Institutional Trustee, Cohen Bros. & Company and the Company of even date
herewith, the Sponsor agrees:
(i) to pay to the Trustees from time to time such compensation
for all services rendered by them hereunder as the parties shall agree
in writing from time to time (which compensation shall not be limited
by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of
an express trust); and
(ii) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse
the Trustees upon request for all reasonable, documented expenses,
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustees in
accordance with any provision of this Declaration (including the
reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of their
respective agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement
or advance attributable to their negligence or willful misconduct.
(b) The provisions of this Section 9.6 shall survive the dissolution
of the Trust and the termination of this Declaration and the removal or
resignation of any Trustee.
ARTICLE X
ACCOUNTING
SECTION 10.1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year (the "Fiscal Year") of the
------------
Trust shall be the calendar year, or such other year as is required by the Code.
SECTION 10.2. Certain Accounting Matters.
----------------------------
(a) At all times during the existence of the Trust, the
Administrators shall keep, or cause to be kept at the principal office of the
Trust in the United States, as defined for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sec.
301.7701-7, full books of account, records and supporting documents, which shall
reflect in reasonable detail each transaction of the Trust. The books of account
shall be maintained on the accrual method of accounting, in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles, consistently applied.
(b) The Administrators shall either (i) cause each Form 10-K and Form
10-Q prepared by the Sponsor and filed with the Commission in accordance with
the Exchange Act to
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be delivered directly to each Holder of Securities, within 90 days after the
filing of each Form 10-K and within 30 days after the filing of each Form 10-Q
or (ii) cause to be prepared at the principal office of the Trust in the United
States, as defined for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sec. 301.7701-7, and
delivered directly to each of the Holders of Securities, within 90 days after
the end of each Fiscal Year of the Trust, annual financial statements of the
Trust, including a balance sheet of the Trust as of the end of such Fiscal Year,
and the related statements of income or loss.
(c) The Administrators shall cause to be duly prepared and delivered
to each of the Holders of Securities Form 1099 or such other annual United
States federal income tax information statement required by the Code, containing
such information with regard to the Securities held by each Holder as is
required by the Code and the Treasury Regulations. Notwithstanding any right
under the Code to deliver any such statement at a later date, the Administrators
shall endeavor to deliver all such statements within 30 days after the end of
each Fiscal Year of the Trust.
(d) The Administrators shall cause to be duly prepared in the United
States, as defined for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sec. 301.7701-7, and
filed an annual United States federal income tax return on a Form 1041 or such
other form required by United States federal income tax law, and any other
annual income tax returns required to be filed by the Administrators on behalf
of the Trust with any state or local taxing authority.
(e) The Administrators will cause the Sponsor's reports on Form FR
Y-9C and FR Y-9LP to be delivered to the Holder promptly following their filing
with the Federal Reserve.
SECTION 10.3. Banking. The Trust shall maintain one or more bank accounts
-------
in the United States, as defined for purposes of Treasury Regulations Sec.
301.7701-7, in the name and for the sole benefit of the Trust; provided,
--------
however, that all payments of funds in respect of the Debentures held by the
Institutional Trustee shall be made directly to the Property Account and no
other funds of the Trust shall be deposited in the Property Account. The sole
signatories for such accounts (including the Property Account) shall be
designated by the Institutional Trustee.
SECTION 10.4. Withholding. The Institutional Trustee or any Paying Agent
-----------
and the Administrators shall comply with all withholding requirements under
United States federal, state and local law. As a condition to the payment of any
principal of or interest on any Debt Security without the imposition of
withholding tax, the Institutional Trustee or any Paying Agent shall require the
previous delivery of properly completed and signed applicable U.S. federal
income tax certifications (generally, an Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 (or
applicable successor form) in the case of a person that is a "United States
person" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Code or an Internal
Revenue Service Form W-8 (or applicable successor form) in the case of a person
that is not a "United States person" within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30)
of the Code) and any other certification acceptable to it to enable the
Institutional Trustee or any Paying Agent and the Trustee to determine their
respective duties and liabilities with respect to any taxes or other charges
that they may be required to pay, deduct or withhold in respect of such Debt
Security or the holder of such Debt Security under any present or future law or
regulation of the United States or any political subdivision thereof or taxing
authority therein or to comply with any reporting or other requirements under
any such law or regulation. The Administrators shall file required forms with
applicable jurisdictions and, unless an exemption
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from withholding is properly established by a Holder, shall remit amounts
withheld with respect to the Holder to applicable jurisdictions. To the extent
that the Institutional Trustee or any Paying Agent is required to withhold and
pay over any amounts to any authority with respect to distributions or
allocations to any Holder, the amount withheld shall be deemed to be a
Distribution to the Holder in the amount of the withholding. In the event of any
claimed overwithholding, Holders shall be limited to an action against the
applicable jurisdiction. If the amount required to be withheld was not withheld
from actual Distributions made, the Institutional Trustee or any Paying Agent
may reduce subsequent Distributions by the amount of such withholding.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS AND MEETINGS
SECTION 11.1. Amendments.
----------
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Declaration or by any
applicable terms of the Securities, this Declaration may only be amended by a
written instrument approved and executed by:
(i) the Institutional Trustee,
(ii) if the amendment affects the rights, powers, duties,
obligations or immunities of the Administrators, the Administrators,
and
(iii) the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Common Securities.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article XI, no
amendment shall be made, and any such purported amendment shall be void and
ineffective:
(i) unless the Institutional Trustee shall have first received
(A) an Officers' Certificate from each of the Trust and the
Sponsor that such amendment is permitted by, and conforms to, the
terms of this Declaration (including the terms of the
Securities); and
(B) an opinion of counsel (who may be counsel to the
Sponsor or the Trust) that such amendment is permitted by, and
conforms to, the terms of this Declaration (including the terms
of the Securities) and that all conditions precedent to the
execution and delivery of such amendment have been satisfied; or
(ii) if the result of such amendment would be to
(A) cause the Trust to cease to be classified for purposes
of United States federal income taxation as a grantor trust;
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(B) reduce or otherwise adversely affect the powers of the
Institutional Trustee in contravention of the Trust Indenture
Act;
(C) cause the Trust to be deemed to be an Investment
Company required to be registered under the Investment Company
Act; or
(D) cause the Debenture Issuer to be unable to treat an
amount equal to the Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities
as "Tier 1 Capital" for purposes of the capital adequacy
guidelines of (x) the Federal Reserve (or, if the Debenture
Issuer is not a bank holding company, such guidelines or policies
applied to the Debenture Issuer as if the Debenture Issuer were
subject to such guidelines of policies) or of (y) any other
regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Debenture
Issuer.
(c) Except as provided in Section 11.1(d), (e) or (g), no amendment
shall be made, and any such purported amendment shall be void and ineffective,
unless the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities
shall have consented to such amendment.
(d) In addition to and notwithstanding any other provision in this
Declaration, without the consent of each affected Holder, this Declaration may
not be amended to (i) change the amount or timing of any Distribution on the
Securities or any redemption or liquidation provisions applicable to the
Securities or otherwise adversely affect the amount of any Distribution required
to be made in respect of the Securities as of a specified date or (ii) restrict
the right of a Holder to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment
on or after such date.
(e) Sections 9.1(b) and 9.1(c) and this Section 11.1 shall not be
amended without the consent of all of the Holders of the Securities.
(f) The rights of the Holders of the Capital Securities and Common
Securities, as applicable, under Article IV to increase or decrease the number
of, and appoint and remove, Trustees shall not be amended without the consent of
the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities or
Common Securities, as applicable.
(g) Subject to Section 11.1(a), this Declaration may be amended by
the Institutional Trustee and the Holder of a Majority in liquidation amount of
the Common Securities without the consent of the Holders of the Capital
Securities to:
(i) cure any ambiguity;
(ii) correct or supplement any provision in this Declaration
that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision of this
Declaration;
(iii) add to the covenants, restrictions or obligations of the
Sponsor; or
(iv) modify, eliminate or add to any provision of this
Declaration to such extent as may be necessary or desirable,
including, without limitation, to
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ensure that the Trust will be classified for United States federal
income tax purposes at all times as a grantor trust and will not be
required to register as an Investment Company under the Investment
Company Act (including without limitation to conform to any change in
Rule 3a-5, Rule 3a-7 or any other applicable rule under the Investment
Company Act or written change in interpretation or application thereof
by any legislative body, court, government agency or regulatory
authority) which amendment does not have a material adverse effect on
the right, preferences or privileges of the Holders of Securities;
provided, however, that no such modification, elimination or addition referred
- -------- -------
to in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) shall adversely affect the powers,
preferences or rights of Holders of Capital Securities.
SECTION 11.2. Meetings of the Holders of the Securities; Action by Written
------------------------------------------------------------
Consent.
- -------
(a) Meetings of the Holders of any class of Securities may be called
at any time by the Administrators (or as provided in the terms of the
Securities) to consider and act on any matter on which Holders of such class of
Securities are entitled to act under the terms of this Declaration, the terms of
the Securities or the rules of any stock exchange on which the Capital
Securities are listed or admitted for trading, if any. The Administrators shall
call a meeting of the Holders of such class if directed to do so by the Holders
of not less than 10% in liquidation amount of such class of Securities. Such
direction shall be given by delivering to the Administrators one or more notices
in a writing stating that the signing Holders of the Securities wish to call a
meeting and indicating the general or specific purpose for which the meeting is
to be called. Any Holders of the Securities calling a meeting shall specify in
writing the Certificates held by the Holders of the Securities exercising the
right to call a meeting and only those Securities represented by such
Certificates shall be counted for purposes of determining whether the required
percentage set forth in the second sentence of this paragraph has been met.
(b) Except to the extent otherwise provided in the terms of the
Securities, the following provisions shall apply to meetings of Holders of the
Securities:
(i) notice of any such meeting shall be given to all the Holders
of the Securities having a right to vote thereat at least 7 days and
not more than 60 days before the date of such meeting. Whenever a
vote, consent or approval of the Holders of the Securities is
permitted or required under this Declaration or the rules of any stock
exchange on which the Capital Securities are listed or admitted for
trading, if any, such vote, consent or approval may be given at a
meeting of the Holders of the Securities. Any action that may be taken
at a meeting of the Holders of the Securities may be taken without a
meeting if a consent in writing setting forth the action so taken is
signed by the Holders of the Securities owning not less than the
minimum amount of Securities that would be necessary to authorize or
take such action at a meeting at which all Holders of the Securities
having a right to vote thereon were present and voting. Prompt notice
of the taking of action without a meeting shall be given to the
Holders of the Securities entitled to vote who have not consented in
writing. The Administrators may specify that any written ballot
submitted to the Holders of the Securities for the
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purpose of taking any action without a meeting shall be returned to
the Trust within the time specified by the Administrators;
(ii) each Holder of a Security may authorize any Person to act
for it by proxy on all matters in which a Holder of Securities is
entitled to participate, including waiving notice of any meeting, or
voting or participating at a meeting. No proxy shall be valid after
the expiration of 11 months from the date thereof unless otherwise
provided in the proxy. Every proxy shall be revocable at the pleasure
of the Holder of the Securities executing it. Except as otherwise
provided herein, all matters relating to the giving, voting or
validity of proxies shall be governed by the General Corporation Law
of the State of Connecticut relating to proxies, and judicial
interpretations thereunder, as if the Trust were a Connecticut
corporation and the Holders of the Securities were stockholders of a
Connecticut corporation; each meeting of the Holders of the Securities
shall be conducted by the Administrators or by such other Person that
the Administrators may designate; and
(iii) unless the Statutory Trust Act, this Declaration, the
terms of the Securities, the Trust Indenture Act or the listing rules
of any stock exchange on which the Capital Securities are then listed
for trading, if any, otherwise provides, the Administrators, in their
sole discretion, shall establish all other provisions relating to
meetings of Holders of Securities, including notice of the time, place
or purpose of any meeting at which any matter is to be voted on by any
Holders of the Securities, waiver of any such notice, action by
consent without a meeting, the establishment of a record date, quorum
requirements, voting in person or by proxy or any other matter with
respect to the exercise of any such right to vote; provided, however,
-------- -------
that each meeting shall be conducted in the United States (as that
term is defined in Treasury Regulations Sec. 301.7701-7).
ARTICLE XII
REPRESENTATIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL TRUSTEE
SECTION 12.1. Representations and Warranties of Institutional Trustee.
----------------------------------------------------------
The Trustee that acts as initial Institutional Trustee represents and warrants
to the Trust and to the Sponsor at the date of this Declaration, and each
Successor Institutional Trustee represents and warrants to the Trust and the
Sponsor at the time of the Successor Institutional Trustee's acceptance of its
appointment as Institutional Trustee, that:
(a) the Institutional Trustee is a banking corporation or national
association with trust powers, duly organized, validly existing and in good
standing under the laws of the State of New York or the United States of
America, respectively, with trust power and authority to execute and deliver,
and to carry out and perform its obligations under the terms of, this
Declaration;
(b) the Institutional Trustee has a combined capital and surplus of
at least fifty million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000);
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(c) the Institutional Trustee is not an affiliate of the Sponsor, nor
does the Institutional Trustee offer or provide credit or credit enhancement to
the Trust;
(d) the execution, delivery and performance by the Institutional
Trustee of this Declaration has been duly authorized by all necessary action on
the part of the Institutional Trustee. This Declaration has been duly executed
and delivered by the Institutional Trustee, and under Connecticut law (excluding
any securities laws) constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Institutional Trustee, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms,
subject to applicable bankruptcy, reorganization, moratorium, insolvency and
other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and to general
principles of equity and the discretion of the court (regardless of whether
considered in a proceeding in equity or at law);
(e) the execution, delivery and performance of this Declaration by
the Institutional Trustee does not conflict with or constitute a breach of the
charter or by-laws of the Institutional Trustee; and
(f) no consent, approval or authorization of, or registration with or
notice to, any state or federal banking authority governing the trust powers of
the Institutional Trustee is required for the execution, delivery or performance
by the Institutional Trustee of this Declaration.
ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 13.1. Notices. All notices provided for in this Declaration shall
-------
be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be
delivered, telecopied (which telecopy shall be followed by notice delivered or
mailed by first class mail) or mailed by first class mail, as follows:
(a) if given to the Trust, in care of the Administrators at the
Trust's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Trust may
give notice of to the Holders of the Securities):
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
c/o Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation
3530 Wheeler Road
Augusta, Georgia 30909
Attention: Ronald L. Thigpen
Telecopy: (706) 481-9869
Telephone: (706) 481-1014
(b) if given to the Institutional Trustee, at the Institutional
Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the
Institutional Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the Securities):
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U.S. Bank National Association
225 Asylum Street, 23rd Floor
Hartford, CT 06103
Attention: Corporate Trust Services
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
With a copy to:
U.S. Bank National Association
One Federal Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Telecopy: (617) 603-6683
Telephone: (617) 603-6549
(c) if given to the Holder of the Common Securities, at the mailing
address of the Sponsor set forth below (or such other address as the Holder of
the Common Securities may give notice of to the Trust):
Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation
3530 Wheeler Road
Augusta, Georgia 30909
Attention: Ronald L. Thigpen
Telecopy: (706) 481-9869
Telephone: (706) 481-1014
(d) if given to any other Holder, at the address set forth on the
books and records of the Trust.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person,
telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage
prepaid, except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or cannot
be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given, such
notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of
such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 13.2. Governing Law. This Declaration and the rights and
--------------
obligations of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and interpreted in
accordance with the law of the State of Connecticut and all rights, obligations
and remedies shall be governed by such laws without regard to the principles of
conflict of laws of the State of Connecticut or any other jurisdiction that
would call for the application of the law of any jurisdiction other than the
State of Connecticut.
SECTION 13.3. Submission to Jurisdiction.
----------------------------
(a) Each of the parties hereto agrees that any suit, action or
proceeding arising out of or based upon this Declaration, or the transactions
contemplated hereby, may be instituted in any of the courts of the State of New
York located in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and any
competent court in the place of its corporate domicile in respect of
-53-
actions brought against it as a defendant. In addition, each such party
irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which
it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of such suit, action or
proceeding brought in any such court and irrevocably waives any claim that any
such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an
inconvenient forum and irrevocably waives any right to which it may be entitled
on account of its place of corporate domicile. Each such party hereby
irrevocably waives any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Declaration or the transactions contemplated
hereby. Each such party agrees that final judgment in any proceedings brought in
such a court shall be conclusive and binding upon it and may be enforced in any
court to the jurisdiction of which it is subject by a suit upon such judgment.
(b) Each of the Sponsor, the Trustees, the Administrators and the
Holder of the Common Securities irrevocably consents to the service of process
on it in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing thereof by
registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to it at its address given in or
pursuant to Section 13.1 hereof.
(c) To the extent permitted by law, nothing herein contained shall
preclude any party from effecting service of process in any lawful manner or
from bringing any suit, action or proceeding in respect of this Declaration in
any other state, country or place.
SECTION 13.4. Intention of the Parties. It is the intention of the
---------------------------
parties hereto that the Trust be classified for United States federal income tax
purposes as a grantor trust. The provisions of this Declaration shall be
interpreted to further this intention of the parties.
SECTION 13.5. Headings. Headings contained in this Declaration are
--------
inserted for convenience of reference only and do not affect the interpretation
of this Declaration or any provision hereof.
SECTION 13.6. Successors and Assigns. Whenever in this Declaration any of
----------------------
the parties hereto is named or referred to, the successors and assigns of such
party shall be deemed to be included, and all covenants and agreements in this
Declaration by the Sponsor and the Trustees shall bind and inure to the benefit
of their respective successors and assigns, whether or not so expressed.
SECTION 13.7. Partial Enforceability. If any provision of this
-----------------------
Declaration, or the application of such provision to any Person or circumstance,
shall be held invalid, the remainder of this Declaration, or the application of
such provision to persons or circumstances other than those to which it is held
invalid, shall not be affected thereby.
SECTION 13.8. Counterparts. This Declaration may contain more than one
------------
counterpart of the signature page and this Declaration may be executed by the
affixing of the signature of each of the Trustees and Administrators to any of
such counterpart signature pages. All of such counterpart signature pages shall
be read as though one, and they shall have the same force and effect as though
all of the signers had signed a single signature page.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Declaration to be duly
executed as of the day and year first above written.
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Institutional Trustee
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
--------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------
SOUTHEASTERN BANK FINANCIAL
CORPORATION,
as Sponsor
By:
-------------------------------------
Name:
--------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------
By:
-------------------------------------
Administrator
By:
-------------------------------------
Administrator
-55-
ANNEX I
TERMS OF
CAPITAL SECURITIES AND
COMMON SECURITIES
Pursuant to Section 6.1 of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust,
dated as of December 5, 2005 (as amended from time to time, the "Declaration"),
the designation, rights, privileges, restrictions, preferences and other terms
and provisions of the Capital Securities and the Common Securities are set out
below (each capitalized term used but not defined herein has the meaning set
forth in the Declaration):
1. Designation and Number.
------------------------
(a) Capital Securities. 10,000 Capital Securities of Southeastern Bank
Financial Statutory Trust I (the "Trust"), with an aggregate stated liquidation
amount with respect to the assets of the Trust of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000) and a stated liquidation amount with respect to the assets of the
Trust of $1,000 per Capital Security, are hereby designated for the purposes of
identification only as the "TP Securities" (the "Capital Securities"). The
Capital Security Certificates evidencing the Capital Securities shall be
substantially in the form of Exhibit A-1 to the Declaration, with such changes
and additions thereto or deletions therefrom as may be required by ordinary
usage, custom or practice or to conform to the rules of any stock exchange on
which the Capital Securities are listed, if any.
(b) Common Securities. 310 Common Securities of the Trust (the "Common
Securities") will be evidenced by Common Security Certificates substantially in
the form of Exhibit A-2 to the Declaration, with such changes and additions
thereto or deletions therefrom as may be required by ordinary usage, custom or
practice. In the absence of an Event of Default, the Common Securities will have
an aggregate stated liquidation amount with respect to the assets of the Trust
of Three Hundred Ten Thousand Dollars ($310,000) and a stated liquidation amount
with respect to the assets of the Trust of $1,000 per Common Security.
2. Distributions.
-------------
(a) Distributions payable on each Security will be payable at a variable
per annum rate of interest, reset quarterly, equal to LIBOR, as determined on
the LIBOR Determination Date for such Distribution Payment Period, plus 1.40%
(the "Coupon Rate") of the stated liquidation amount of $1,000 per Security
(provided, however, that the Coupon Rate for any Distribution Payment Period may
not exceed the highest rate permitted by New York law, as the same may be
modified by United States law of general applicability), such Coupon Rate being
the rate of interest payable on the Debentures to be held by the Institutional
Trustee. Except as set forth below in respect of an Extension Period,
Distributions in arrears for more than one quarterly period will bear interest
thereon compounded quarterly at the applicable Coupon Rate for each such
quarterly period (to the extent permitted by applicable law). The term
"Distributions" as used herein includes cash distributions, any such compounded
distributions and any Additional Interest payable on the Debentures unless
otherwise stated. A Distribution is payable only to the extent that payments are
made in respect of the Debentures held by the
A-I-1
Institutional Trustee and to the extent the Institutional Trustee has funds
legally available in the Property Account therefor. Distributions will be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days elapsed in
the relevant Distribution period; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of
a Special Event redemption pursuant to paragraph 4(a) below the amounts payable
pursuant to this Declaration shall be calculated as set forth in the definition
of Special Redemption Price.
(b) LIBOR shall be determined by the Calculation Agent in accordance with
the following provisions:
(1) On the second LIBOR Business Day (provided, that on such day
--------
commercial banks are open for business (including dealings in foreign
currency deposits) in London (a "LIBOR Banking Day"), and otherwise
the next preceding LIBOR Business Day that is also a LIBOR Banking
Day) prior to March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15, (each
such day, a "LIBOR Determination Date") for such Distribution Payment
Period), the Calculation Agent shall obtain the rate for three-month
U.S. Dollar deposits in Europe, which appears on Telerate Page 3750
(as defined in the International Swaps and Derivatives Association,
Inc. 2000 Interest Rate and Currency Exchange Definitions) or such
other page as may replace such Telerate Page 3750 on the Moneyline
Telerate, Inc. service (or such other service or services as may be
nominated by the British Banker's Association as the information
vendor for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates
for U.S. dollar deposits), as of 11:00 a.m. (London time) on such
LIBOR Determination Date, and the rate so obtained shall be LIBOR for
such Distribution Payment Period. "LIBOR Business Day" means any day
that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial
banking institutions in The City of New York or Boston, Massachusetts
are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to be closed. If
such rate is superseded on Telerate Page 3750 by a corrected rate
before 12:00 noon (London time) on the same LIBOR Determination Date,
the corrected rate as so substituted will be the applicable LIBOR for
that Distribution Payment Period.
(2) If, on any LIBOR Determination Date, such rate does not
appear on Telerate Page 3750 or such other page as may replace such
Telerate Page 3750 on the Moneyline Telerate, Inc. service (or such
other service or services as may be nominated by the British Banker's
Association as the information vendor for the purpose of displaying
London interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits), the
Calculation Agent shall determine the arithmetic mean of the offered
quotations of the Reference Banks (as defined below) to leading banks
in the London Interbank market for three-month U.S. Dollar deposits in
Europe (in an amount determined by the Calculation Agent) by reference
to requests for quotations as of approximately 11:00 a.m. (London
time) on the LIBOR Determination Date made by the Calculation Agent to
the Reference Banks. If, on any LIBOR Determination Date, at least two
of the Reference Banks provide such quotations, LIBOR shall equal the
arithmetic mean of such quotations. If, on any LIBOR Determination
Date, only one or none of the Reference Banks provide such a
quotation, LIBOR shall be deemed to be the arithmetic mean of the
offered
A-I-2
quotations that at least two leading banks in the City of New York (as
selected by the Calculation Agent) are quoting on the relevant LIBOR
Determination Date for three-month U.S. Dollar deposits in Europe at
approximately 11:00 a.m. (London time) (in an amount determined by the
Calculation Agent). As used herein, "Reference Banks" means four major
banks in the London Interbank market selected by the Calculation
Agent.
(3) If the Calculation Agent is required but is unable to
determine a rate in accordance with at least one of the procedures
provided above, LIBOR for the applicable Distribution Payment Period
shall be LIBOR in effect for the immediately preceding Distribution
Payment Period.
(c) All percentages resulting from any calculations on the Securities will
be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage
point, with five one-millionths of a percentage point rounded upward (e.g.,
9.876545% (or .09876545) being rounded to 9.87655% (or .0987655)), and all
dollar amounts used in or resulting from such calculation will be rounded to the
nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upward).
(d) As soon as practicable following each LIBOR Determination Date, but in
no event later than the 30th day following such LIBOR Determination Date, the
Calculation Agent shall notify, in writing, the Sponsor and the Paying Agent of
the applicable Coupon Rate in effect for the related Distribution Payment
Period. The Calculation Agent shall, upon the request of the Holder of any
Securities, provide the Coupon Rate then in effect. All calculations made by the
Calculation Agent in the absence of manifest error shall be conclusive for all
purposes and binding on the Sponsor and the Holders of the Securities. Any
error in a calculation of the Coupon Rate by the Calculation Agent may be
corrected at any time by the delivery of notice of such corrected Coupon Rate as
provided above. The Paying Agent shall be entitled to rely on information
received from the Calculation Agent or the Sponsor as to the Coupon Rate. The
Sponsor shall, from time to time, provide any necessary information to the
Paying Agent relating to any original issue discount and interest on the
Securities that is included in any payment and reportable for taxable income
calculation purposes. Failure to notify the Company, the Institutional Trustee
or the Paying Agent of the applicable Coupon Rate shall not affect the
obligation of the Company to make payment on the Debentures at such Coupon Rate.
(e) Distributions on the Securities will be cumulative, will accrue from
the date of original issuance, and will be payable, subject to extension of
Distribution payment periods as described herein, quarterly in arrears on March
15, June 15, September 15 and December 15 of each year, commencing March 15,
2006 (each, a "Distribution Payment Date"). Subject to prior submission of
Notice (as defined in the Indenture), and so long as no Event of Default
pursuant to paragraphs (c), (e) or (f) of Section 5.01 of the Indenture has
occurred and is continuing the Debenture Issuer has the right under the
Indenture to defer payments of interest on the Debentures by extending the
interest distribution period for up to 20 consecutive quarterly periods (each,
an "Extension Period") at any time and from time to time on the Debentures,
subject to the conditions described below, during which Extension Period no
interest shall be due and payable (except any Additional Interest that may be
due and payable). During any Extension Period, interest will continue to accrue
on the Debentures, and interest on such accrued interest (such accrued interest
and interest thereon referred to herein as "Deferred Interest") will accrue at
A-I-3
an annual rate equal to the Coupon Rate in effect for each such Extension
Period, compounded quarterly from the date such Deferred Interest would have
been payable were it not for the Extension Period, to the extent permitted by
law. No Extension Period may end on a date other than a Distribution Payment
Date or extend beyond the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date (to the extent
redeemed) or any Special Redemption Date, as the case may be. At the end of any
such Extension Period, the Debenture Issuer shall pay all Deferred Interest then
accrued and unpaid on the Debentures; provided, however, that during any such
-------- -------
Extension Period, the Debenture Issuer may not (i) declare or pay any dividends
or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment
with respect to, any of the Debenture Issuer's capital stock or (ii) make any
payment of principal or premium or interest on or repay, repurchase or redeem
any debt securities of the Debenture Issuer that rank pari passu in all respects
with or junior in interest to the Debentures or (iii) make any payment under any
guarantees of the Debenture Issuer that rank in all respects pari passu with or
junior in interest to the Guarantee (other than (a) repurchases, redemptions or
other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Debenture Issuer (A) in
connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar
arrangement with or for the benefit of one or more employees, officers,
directors or consultants, (B) in connection with a dividend reinvestment or
stockholder stock purchase plan or (C) in connection with the issuance of
capital stock of the Debenture Issuer (or securities convertible into or
exercisable for such capital stock), as consideration in an acquisition
transaction entered into prior to the applicable Extension Period, (b) as a
result of any exchange, reclassification, combination or conversion of any class
or series of the Debenture Issuer's capital stock (or any capital stock of a
subsidiary of the Debenture Issuer) for any class or series of the Debenture
Issuer's capital stock or of any class or series of the Debenture Issuer's
indebtedness for any class or series of the Debenture Issuer's capital stock,
(c) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Debenture Issuer's
capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital
stock or the security being converted or exchanged, (d) any declaration of a
dividend in connection with any stockholder's rights plan, or the issuance of
rights, stock or other property under any stockholder's rights plan, or the
redemption or repurchase of rights pursuant thereto, or (e) any dividend in the
form of stock, warrants, options or other rights where the dividend stock or the
stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants, options or other rights is the
same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid or ranks pari passu with
or junior to such stock). Prior to the termination of any Extension Period, the
Debenture Issuer may further extend such period; provided, that such period
--------
together with all such previous and further consecutive extensions thereof shall
not exceed 20 consecutive quarterly periods, or extend beyond the Maturity Date.
Upon the termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of all
Deferred Interest, the Debenture Issuer may commence a new Extension Period,
subject to the foregoing requirements. No interest or Deferred Interest shall be
due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof, but
Deferred Interest shall accrue upon each installment of interest that would
otherwise have been due and payable during such Extension Period until such
installment is paid. If Distributions are deferred, the Distributions due shall
be paid on the date that the related Extension Period terminates to Holders of
the Securities as they appear on the books and records of the Trust on the
record date immediately preceding such date. Distributions on the Securities
must be paid on the dates payable (after giving effect to any Extension Period)
to the extent that the Trust has funds legally available for the payment of such
distributions in the Property Account of the Trust. The Trust's funds available
for Distribution to the Holders of the Securities will be limited to payments
received from the Debenture Issuer. The
A-I-4
payment of Distributions out of moneys held by the Trust is guaranteed by the
Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee.
(f) Distributions on the Securities will be payable to the Holders thereof
as they appear on the books and records of the Registrar on the relevant record
dates. The relevant record dates shall be 15 days before the relevant
Distribution Payment Date. Distributions payable on any Securities that are not
punctually paid on any Distribution Payment Date, as a result of the Debenture
Issuer having failed to make a payment under the Debentures, as the case may be,
when due (taking into account any Extension Period), will cease to be payable to
the Person in whose name such Securities are registered on the relevant record
date, and such defaulted Distribution will instead be payable to the Person in
whose name such Securities are registered on the special record date or other
specified date determined in accordance with the Indenture. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary contained herein, if any Distribution Payment Date,
other than on the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date or the Special Redemption
Date, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then any Distributions payable
will be paid on, and such Distribution Payment Date will be moved to, the next
succeeding Business Day, and additional Distributions will accrue for each day
that such payment is delayed as a result thereof. If the Maturity Date, any
Redemption Date or the Special Redemption Date falls on a day that is not a
Business Day, then the principal, premium, if any, and/or Distributions payable
on such date will be paid on the next succeeding Business Day, and no additional
Distributions will accrue in respect of such payment made on such next
succeeding Business Day.
(g) In the event that there is any money or other property held by or for
the Trust that is not accounted for hereunder, such property shall be
distributed pro rata (as defined herein) among the Holders of the Securities.
3. Liquidation Distribution Upon Dissolution. In the event of the
--------------------------------------------
voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, winding-up or termination of
the Trust (each, a "Liquidation") other than in connection with a redemption of
the Debentures, the Holders of the Securities will be entitled to receive out of
the assets of the Trust available for distribution to Holders of the Securities,
after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust (to the extent not
satisfied by the Debenture Issuer), distributions equal to the aggregate of the
stated liquidation amount of $1,000 per Security plus accrued and unpaid
Distributions thereon to the date of payment (such amount being the "Liquidation
Distribution"), unless in connection with such Liquidation, the Debentures in an
aggregate stated principal amount equal to the aggregate stated liquidation
amount of such Securities, with an interest rate equal to the Coupon Rate of,
and bearing accrued and unpaid interest in an amount equal to the accrued and
unpaid Distributions on, and having the same record date as, such Securities,
after paying or making reasonable provision to pay all claims and obligations of
the Trust shall be distributed on a Pro Rata basis to the Holders of the
Securities in exchange for such Securities.
The Sponsor, as the Holder of all of the Common Securities, has the right
at any time to, upon receipt of an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel
that Holders will not recognize any gain or loss for United States federal
income tax purposes as a result of the distribution Debentures, dissolve the
Trust (including without limitation upon the occurrence of a Tax Event, an
Investment Company Event or a Capital Treatment Event), subject to the receipt
by the Debenture Issuer of prior approval from any regulatory authority having
jurisdiction over the
A-I-5
Sponsor that is primarily responsible for regulating the activities of the
Sponsor if such approval is then required under applicable capital guidelines or
policies of such regulatory authority, and, after satisfaction of liabilities to
creditors of the Trust, cause the Debentures to be distributed to the Holders of
the Securities on a Pro Rata basis in accordance with the aggregate stated
liquidation amount thereof.
The Trust shall dissolve on the first to occur of (i) December 15, 2040,
the expiration of the term of the Trust, (ii) a Bankruptcy Event with respect to
the Sponsor, the Trust or the Debenture Issuer, (iii) (other than in connection
with a merger, consolidation or similar transaction not prohibited by the
Indenture, this Declaration or the Guarantee, as the case may be) the filing of
a certificate of dissolution or its equivalent with respect to the Sponsor or
upon the revocation of the charter of the Sponsor and the expiration of 90 days
after the date of revocation without a reinstatement thereof, (iv) the
distribution to the Holders of the Securities of the Debentures, upon exercise
of the right of the Holder of all of the outstanding Common Securities to
dissolve the Trust as described above, (v) the entry of a decree of a judicial
dissolution of the Sponsor or the Trust, or (vi) when all of the Securities
shall have been called for redemption and the amounts necessary for redemption
thereof shall have been paid to the Holders in accordance with the terms of the
Securities. As soon as practicable after the dissolution of the Trust and upon
completion of the winding up of the Trust, the Trust shall terminate upon the
filing of a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State
of Connecticut.
If a Liquidation of the Trust occurs as described in clause (i), (ii),
(iii) or (v) in the immediately preceding paragraph, the Trust shall be
liquidated by the Institutional Trustee of the Trust as expeditiously as such
Trustee determines to be possible by distributing, after satisfaction of
liabilities to creditors of the Trust as provided by applicable law, to the
Holders of the Securities, the Debentures on a Pro Rata basis to the extent not
satisfied by the Debenture Issuer, unless such distribution is determined by the
Institutional Trustee not to be practical, in which event such Holders will be
entitled to receive out of the assets of the Trust available for distribution to
the Holders, after satisfaction of liabilities to creditors of the Trust to the
extent not satisfied by the Debenture Issuer, an amount equal to the Liquidation
Distribution. An early Liquidation of the Trust pursuant to clause (iv) of the
immediately preceding paragraph shall occur if the Institutional Trustee
determines that such Liquidation is possible by distributing, after satisfaction
of liabilities to creditors of Trust, to the Holders of the Securities on a Pro
Rata basis, the Debentures, and such distribution occurs.
If, upon any such Liquidation, the Liquidation Distribution can be paid
only in part because the Trust has insufficient assets available to pay in full
the aggregate Liquidation Distribution, then the amounts payable directly by the
Trust on such Capital Securities shall be paid to the Holders of the Securities
on a Pro Rata basis, except that if an Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing, the Capital Securities shall have a preference over the Common
Securities with regard to such distributions.
Upon any such Liquidation of the Trust involving a distribution of the
Debentures, if at the time of such Liquidation, the Capital Securities were
rated by at least one nationally-recognized statistical rating organization, the
Debenture Issuer will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain from at least
one such or other rating organization a rating for the Debentures.
A-I-6
After the date for any distribution of the Debentures upon dissolution of
the Trust, (i) the Securities of the Trust will be deemed to be no longer
outstanding, (ii) any certificates representing the Capital Securities will be
deemed to represent undivided beneficial interests in such of the Debentures as
have an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate stated liquidation
amount of, with an interest rate identical to the distribution rate of, and
bearing accrued and unpaid interest equal to accrued and unpaid distributions
on, the Securities until such certificates are presented to the Debenture Issuer
or its agent for transfer or reissuance (and until such certificates are so
surrendered, no payments of interest or principal shall be made to Holders of
Securities in respect of any payments due and payable under the Debentures) and
(iii) all rights of Holders of Securities under the Capital Securities or the
Common Securities, as applicable, shall cease, except the right of such Holders
to receive Debentures upon surrender of certificates representing such
Securities.
4. Redemption and Distribution.
-----------------------------
(a) The Debentures will mature on December 15, 2035. The Debentures may be
redeemed by the Debenture Issuer, in whole or in part, on any March 15, June 15,
September 15 or December 15 on or after December 15, 2010, at the Redemption
Price, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice to Holders of such
Debentures. In addition, upon the occurrence and continuation of a Tax Event, an
Investment Company Event or a Capital Treatment Event, the Debentures may be
redeemed by the Debenture Issuer in whole or in part, at any time within 90 days
following the occurrence of such Tax Event, Investment Company Event or Capital
Treatment Event, as the case may be (the "Special Redemption Date"), at the
Special Redemption Price, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days' notice to
Holders of the Debentures so long as such Tax Event, Investment Company Event or
Capital Treatment Event, as the case may be, is continuing. In each case, the
right of the Debenture Issuer to redeem the Debentures is subject to the
Debenture Issuer having received prior approval from any regulatory authority
having jurisdiction over the Debenture Issuer, if such approval is then required
under applicable capital guidelines or policies of such regulatory authority.
"Tax Event" means the receipt by the Debenture Issuer and the Trust of an
opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result
of any amendment to or change (including any announced prospective change) in
the laws or any regulations thereunder of the United States or any political
subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein, or as a result of any
official administrative pronouncement (including any private letter ruling,
technical advice memorandum, regulatory procedure, notice or announcement) (an
"Administrative Action") or judicial decision interpreting or applying such laws
or regulations, regardless of whether such Administrative Action or judicial
decision is issued to or in connection with a proceeding involving the Debenture
Issuer or the Trust and whether or not subject to review or appeal, which
amendment, clarification, change, Administrative Action or decision is enacted,
promulgated or announced, in each case on or after the date of original issuance
of the Debentures, there is more than an insubstantial risk that: (i) the Trust
is, or will be within 90 days of the date of such opinion, subject to United
States federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued on the
Debentures; (ii) interest payable by the Debenture Issuer on the Debentures is
not, or within 90 days of the date of such opinion, will not be, deductible by
the Debenture Issuer, in whole or in part, for United States federal income tax
purposes; or (iii) the Trust is, or will be within 90 days of the date of such
opinion, subject to more than a de minimis
A-I-7
amount of other taxes (including withholding taxes), duties, assessments or
other governmental charges.
"Investment Company Event" means the receipt by the Debenture Issuer and
the Trust of an opinion of counsel experienced in such matters to the effect
that, as a result of a change in law or regulation or written change in
interpretation or application of law or regulation by any legislative body,
court, governmental agency or regulatory authority, there is more than an
insubstantial risk that the Trust is or, within 90 days of the date of such
opinion will be, considered an "investment company" that is required to be
registered under the Investment Company Act, which change or prospective change
becomes effective or would become effective, as the case may be, on or after the
date of the original issuance of the Debentures.
"Capital Treatment Event" means, if the Debenture Issuer is organized and
existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the
District of Columbia, the receipt by the Debenture Issuer and the Trust of an
Opinion of Counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result
of (a) any amendment to, or change in, the laws, rules or regulations of the
United States or any political subdivision thereof or therein, or any rules,
guidelines or policies of any applicable regulatory authority for the Debenture
Issuer or (b) any official or administrative pronouncement or action or decision
interpreting or applying such laws, rules or regulations, which amendment or
change is effective or which pronouncement, action or decision is announced on
or after the date of original issuance of the Debentures, there is more than an
insubstantial risk that, within 90 days of the receipt of such opinion, the
aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital Securities will not be eligible to
be treated by the Debenture Issuer as "Tier 1 Capital" (or the then equivalent
thereof) for purposes of the capital adequacy guidelines of the Federal Reserve
(or any successor regulatory authority with jurisdiction over bank or financial
holding companies), as then in effect and applicable to the Debenture Issuer (or
if the Debenture Issuer is not a bank holding company, such guidelines applied
to the Debenture Issuer as if the Debenture Issuer were subject to such
guidelines); provided, however, that the inability of the Debenture Issuer to
treat all or any portion of the aggregate Liquidation Amount of the Capital
Securities as Tier 1 Capital shall not constitute the basis for a Capital
Treatment Event, if such inability results from the Debenture Issuer having
cumulative preferred stock, minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries, or
any other class of security or interest which the Federal Reserve or OTS, as
applicable, may now or hereafter accord Tier 1 Capital treatment in excess of
the amount which may now or hereafter qualify for treatment as Tier 1 Capital
under applicable capital adequacy guidelines; provided further, however, that
the distribution of the Debentures in connection with the liquidation of the
Trust by the Debenture Issuer shall not in and of itself constitute a Capital
Treatment Event unless such liquidation shall have occurred in connection with a
Tax Event or an Investment Company Event.
"Special Event" means any of a Capital Treatment Event, a Tax Event or an
Investment Company Event.
"Special Redemption Price" means, with respect to the redemption of any
Debentures following a Special Event, an amount in cash equal to 103.525% of the
principal amount of Debentures to be redeemed prior to December 15, 2006 and
thereafter equal to the percentage of the principal amount of the Debentures
that is specified below for the Special Redemption Date plus, in each case,
unpaid interest accrued thereon to the Special Redemption Date:
A-I-8
Special Redemption During the
12-Month Period Beginning December 15 Percentage of Principal Amount
------------------------------------- ------------------------------
2006 103.140%
2007 102.355%
2008 101.570%
2009 100.785%
2010 and thereafter 100.000%
"Redemption Date" means the date fixed for the redemption of Capital
Securities, which shall be any March 15, June 15, September 15 or December 15 on
or after December 15, 2010.
"Redemption Price" means 100% of the principal amount of the Debentures
being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Debentures to the
Redemption Date.
(b) Upon the repayment in full at maturity or redemption in whole or in
part of the Debentures (other than following the distribution of the Debentures
to the Holders of the Securities), the proceeds from such repayment or payment
shall concurrently be applied to redeem Pro Rata at the applicable Redemption
Price, Securities having an aggregate liquidation amount equal to the aggregate
principal amount of the Debentures so repaid or redeemed; provided, however,
-------- -------
that holders of such Securities shall be given not less than 30 nor more than 60
days' notice of such redemption (other than at the scheduled maturity of the
Debentures).
(c) If fewer than all the outstanding Securities are to be so redeemed,
the Common Securities and the Capital Securities will be redeemed Pro Rata and
the Capital Securities to be redeemed will be as described in Section 4(e)(ii)
below.
(d) The Trust may not redeem fewer than all the outstanding Capital
Securities unless all accrued and unpaid Distributions have been paid on all
Capital Securities for all quarterly Distribution periods terminating on or
before the date of redemption.
(e) Redemption or Distribution Procedures.
(i) Notice of any redemption of, or notice of distribution of
the Debentures in exchange for, the Securities (a
"Redemption/Distribution Notice") will be given by the Trust by mail
to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed or exchanged not fewer
than 30 nor more than 60 days before the date fixed for redemption or
exchange thereof which, in the case of a redemption, will be the date
fixed for redemption of the Debentures. For purposes of the
calculation of the date of redemption or exchange and the dates on
which notices are given pursuant to this Section 4(e)(i), a
Redemption/Distribution Notice shall be deemed to be given on the day
such notice is first mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to
Holders of such Securities. Each Redemption/Distribution Notice shall
be addressed to the Holders of such Securities at the address of each
such Holder appearing on the books and records of the Registrar. No
defect in the Redemption/Distribution Notice or in the mailing thereof
with respect to any
A-I-9
Holder shall affect the validity of the redemption or exchange
proceedings with respect to any other Holder.
(ii) In the event that fewer than all the outstanding Securities
are to be redeemed, the Securities to be redeemed shall be redeemed
Pro Rata from each Holder of Capital Securities.
(iii) If the Securities are to be redeemed and the Trust gives a
Redemption/Distribution Notice, which notice may only be issued if the
Debentures are redeemed as set out in this Section 4 (which notice
will be irrevocable), then, provided, that the Institutional Trustee
has a sufficient amount of cash in connection with the related
redemption or maturity of the Debentures, the Institutional Trustee
will, with respect to Book-Entry Capital Securities, on the Redemption
Date, irrevocably deposit with the Depositary for such Book-Entry
Capital Securities, to the extent available therefore, funds
sufficient to pay the relevant Redemption Price and will give such
Depositary irrevocable instructions and authority to pay the
Redemption Price to the Owners of the Capital Securities. With respect
to Capital Securities that are not Book-Entry Capital Securities, the
Institutional Trustee will pay, to the extent available therefore, the
relevant Redemption Price to the Holders of such Securities by check
mailed to the address of each such Holder appearing on the books and
records of the Trust on the redemption date. If a
Redemption/Distribution Notice shall have been given and funds
deposited as required, then immediately prior to the close of business
on the date of such deposit, Distributions will cease to accrue on the
Securities so called for redemption and all rights of Holders of such
Securities so called for redemption will cease, except the right of
the Holders of such Securities to receive the applicable Redemption
Price specified in Section 4(a). If any date fixed for redemption of
Securities is not a Business Day, then payment of any such Redemption
Price payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day
that is a Business Day except that, if such Business Day falls in the
next calendar year, such payment will be made on the immediately
preceding Business Day, in each case with the same force and effect as
if made on such date fixed for redemption. If payment of the
Redemption Price in respect of any Securities is improperly withheld
or refused and not paid either by the Trust or by the Debenture Issuer
as guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee, Distributions on such
Securities will continue to accrue at the then applicable rate from
the original redemption date to the actual date of payment, in which
case the actual payment date will be considered the date fixed for
redemption for purposes of calculating the Redemption Price. In the
event of any redemption of the Capital Securities issued by the Trust
in part, the Trust shall not be required to (i) issue, register the
transfer of or exchange any Security during a period beginning at the
opening of business 15 days before any selection for redemption of the
Capital Securities and ending at the close of business on the earliest
date on which the relevant notice of redemption is deemed to have been
given to all Holders of the Capital Securities to be so redeemed or
(ii) register the transfer of or exchange any Capital Securities so
selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except for the
unredeemed portion of any Capital Securities being redeemed in part.
A-I-10
(iv) Redemption/Distribution Notices shall be sent by the Trust
(A) in respect of the Capital Securities, to the Holders thereof, and
(B) in respect of the Common Securities, to the Holder thereof.
(v) Subject to the foregoing and applicable law (including,
without limitation, United States federal securities laws), and
provided, that the acquiror is not the Holder of the Common Securities
--------
or the obligor under the Indenture, the Sponsor or any of its
subsidiaries may at anytime and from time to time purchase outstanding
Capital Securities by tender, in the open market or by private
agreement.
5. Voting Rights - Capital Securities.
--------------------------------------
(a) Except as provided under Sections 5(b) and 7 and as otherwise required
by law and the Declaration, the Holders of the Capital Securities will have no
voting rights. The Administrators are required to call a meeting of the Holders
of the Capital Securities if directed to do so by Holders of not less than 10%
in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities.
(b) Subject to the requirements of obtaining a tax opinion by the
Institutional Trustee in certain circumstances set forth in the last sentence of
this paragraph, the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Capital
Securities, voting separately as a class, have the right to direct the time,
method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Institutional Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Institutional Trustee under the Declaration, including the right to direct the
Institutional Trustee, as holder of the Debentures, to (i) exercise the remedies
available under the Indenture as the holder of the Debentures, (ii) waive any
past default that is waivable under the Indenture, (iii) exercise any right to
rescind or annul a declaration that the principal of all the Debentures shall be
due and payable or (iv) consent on behalf of all the Holders of the Capital
Securities to any amendment, modification or termination of the Indenture or the
Debentures where such consent shall be required; provided, however, that, where
-------- -------
a consent or action under the Indenture would require the consent or act of the
holders of greater than a simple majority in principal amount of Debentures (a
"Super Majority") affected thereby, the Institutional Trustee may only give such
consent or take such action at the written direction of the Holders of not less
than the proportion in liquidation amount of the Capital Securities outstanding
which the relevant Super Majority represents of the aggregate principal amount
of the Debentures outstanding. If the Institutional Trustee fails to enforce its
rights under the Debentures after the Holders of a Majority or Super Majority,
as the case may be, in liquidation amount of such Capital Securities have so
directed the Institutional Trustee, to the fullest extent permitted by law, a
Holder of the Capital Securities may institute a legal proceeding directly
against the Debenture Issuer to enforce the Institutional Trustee's rights under
the Debentures without first instituting any legal proceeding against the
Institutional Trustee or any other person or entity. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and such event
is attributable to the failure of the Debenture Issuer to pay interest or
premium, if any, on or principal of the Debentures on the date such interest,
premium, if any, on or principal is payable (or in the case of redemption, the
redemption date), then a Holder of record of the Capital Securities may directly
institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment, on or after the respective
due dates specified in the Debentures, to such Holder directly of the principal
of or premium, if any, or interest on the
A-I-11
Debentures having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate
liquidation amount of the Capital Securities of such Holder. The Institutional
Trustee shall notify all Holders of the Capital Securities of any default
actually known to the Institutional Trustee with respect to the Debentures
unless (x) such default has been cured prior to the giving of such notice or (y)
the Institutional Trustee determines in good faith that the withholding of such
notice is in the interest of the Holders of such Capital Securities, except
where the default relates to the payment of principal of or interest on any of
the Debentures. Such notice shall state that such Indenture Event of Default
also constitutes an Event of Default hereunder. Except with respect to directing
the time, method and place of conducting a proceeding for a remedy, the
Institutional Trustee shall not take any of the actions described in clause (i),
(ii) or (iii) above unless the Institutional Trustee has obtained an opinion of
tax counsel to the effect that, as a result of such action, the Trust will not
be classified as other than a grantor trust for United States federal income tax
purposes.
In the event the consent of the Institutional Trustee, as the holder of the
Debentures is required under the Indenture with respect to any amendment,
modification or termination of the Indenture, the Institutional Trustee may
request the written direction of the Holders of the Securities with respect to
such amendment, modification or termination and shall vote with respect to such
amendment, modification or termination as directed by a Majority in liquidation
amount of the Securities voting together as a single class; provided, however,
-------- -------
that where a consent under the Indenture would require the consent of a Super
Majority, the Institutional Trustee may only give such consent at the written
direction of the Holders of not less than the proportion in liquidation amount
of such Securities outstanding which the relevant Super Majority represents of
the aggregate principal amount of the Debentures outstanding. The Institutional
Trustee shall not take any such action in accordance with the written directions
of the Holders of the Securities unless the Institutional Trustee has obtained
an opinion of tax counsel to the effect that, as a result of such action, the
Trust will not be classified as other than a grantor trust for United States
federal income tax purposes.
A waiver of an Indenture Event of Default will constitute a waiver of the
corresponding Event of Default hereunder. Any required approval or direction of
Holders of the Capital Securities may be given at a separate meeting of Holders
of the Capital Securities convened for such purpose, at a meeting of all of the
Holders of the Securities in the Trust or pursuant to written consent. The
Institutional Trustee will cause a notice of any meeting at which Holders of the
Capital Securities are entitled to vote, or of any matter upon which action by
written consent of such Holders is to be taken, to be mailed to each Holder of
record of the Capital Securities. Each such notice will include a statement
setting forth the following information (i) the date of such meeting or the date
by which such action is to be taken, (ii) a description of any resolution
proposed for adoption at such meeting on which such Holders are entitled to vote
or of such matter upon which written consent is sought and (iii) instructions
for the delivery of proxies or consents. No vote or consent of the Holders of
the Capital Securities will be required for the Trust to redeem and cancel
Capital Securities or to distribute the Debentures in accordance with the
Declaration and the terms of the Securities.
Notwithstanding that Holders of the Capital Securities are entitled to vote
or consent under any of the circumstances described above, any of the Capital
Securities that are owned by the Sponsor or any Affiliate of the Sponsor shall
not entitle the Holder thereof to vote or consent
A-I-12
and shall, for purposes of such vote or consent, be treated as if such Capital
Securities were not outstanding.
In no event will Holders of the Capital Securities have the right to vote
to appoint, remove or replace the Administrators, which voting rights are vested
exclusively in the Sponsor as the Holder of all of the Common Securities of the
Trust. Under certain circumstances as more fully described in the Declaration,
Holders of Capital Securities have the right to vote to appoint, remove or
replace the Institutional Trustee.
6. Voting Rights - Common Securities.
-------------------------------------
(a) Except as provided under Sections 6(b), 6(c) and 7 and as otherwise
required by law and the Declaration, the Common Securities will have no voting
rights.
(b) The Holders of the Common Securities are entitled, in accordance with
Article IV of the Declaration, to vote to appoint, remove or replace any
Administrators.
(c) Subject to Section 6.7 of the Declaration and only after each Event of
Default (if any) with respect to the Capital Securities has been cured, waived
or otherwise eliminated and subject to the requirements of the second to last
sentence of this paragraph, the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of
the Common Securities, voting separately as a class, may direct the time,
method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Institutional Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Institutional Trustee under the Declaration, including (i) directing the time,
method, place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Debenture Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Debenture
Trustee with respect to the Debentures, (ii) waiving any past default and its
consequences that are waivable under the Indenture, or (iii) exercising any
right to rescind or annul a declaration that the principal of all the Debentures
shall be due and payable, provided, however, that, where a consent or action
under the Indenture would require a Super Majority, the Institutional Trustee
may only give such consent or take such action at the written direction of the
Holders of not less than the proportion in liquidation amount of the Common
Securities which the relevant Super Majority represents of the aggregate
principal amount of the Debentures outstanding. Notwithstanding this Section
6(c), the Institutional Trustee shall not revoke any action previously
authorized or approved by a vote or consent of the Holders of the Capital
Securities. Other than with respect to directing the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Institutional Trustee
or the Debenture Trustee as set forth above, the Institutional Trustee shall not
take any action described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, unless the
Institutional Trustee has obtained an opinion of tax counsel to the effect that
for the purposes of United States federal income tax the Trust will not be
classified as other than a grantor trust on account of such action. If the
Institutional Trustee fails to enforce its rights under the Declaration, to the
fullest extent permitted by law any Holder of the Common Securities may
institute a legal proceeding directly against any Person to enforce the
Institutional Trustee's rights under the Declaration, without first instituting
a legal proceeding against the Institutional Trustee or any other Person.
Any approval or direction of Holders of the Common Securities may be given
at a separate meeting of Holders of the Common Securities convened for such
purpose, at a meeting
A-I-13
of all of the Holders of the Securities in the Trust or pursuant to written
consent. The Administrators will cause a notice of any meeting at which Holders
of the Common Securities are entitled to vote, or of any matter upon which
action by written consent of such Holders is to be taken, to be mailed to each
Holder of the Common Securities. Each such notice will include a statement
setting forth (i) the date of such meeting or the date by which such action is
to be taken, (ii) a description of any resolution proposed for adoption at such
meeting on which such Holders are entitled to vote or of such matter upon which
written consent is sought and (iii) instructions for the delivery of proxies or
consents.
No vote or consent of the Holders of the Common Securities will be required
for the Trust to redeem and cancel Common Securities or to distribute the
Debentures in accordance with the Declaration and the terms of the Securities.
7. Amendments to Declaration and Indenture.
-------------------------------------------
(a) In addition to any requirements under Section 11.1 of the Declaration,
if any proposed amendment to the Declaration provides for, or the Trustees
otherwise propose to effect, (i) any action that would adversely affect the
powers, preferences or special rights of the Securities, whether by way of
amendment to the Declaration or otherwise, or (ii) the Liquidation of the Trust,
other than as described in Section 7.1 of the Declaration, then the Holders of
outstanding Securities, voting together as a single class, will be entitled to
vote on such amendment or proposal and such amendment or proposal shall not be
effective except with the approval of the Holders of not less than a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Securities affected thereby; provided, however, if any
amendment or proposal referred to in clause (i) above would adversely affect
only the Capital Securities or only the Common Securities, then only the
affected class will be entitled to vote on such amendment or proposal and such
amendment or proposal shall not be effective except with the approval of a
Majority in liquidation amount of such class of Securities.
(b) In the event the consent of the Institutional Trustee as the holder of
the Debentures is required under the Indenture with respect to any amendment,
modification or termination of the Indenture or the Debentures, the
Institutional Trustee shall request the written direction of the Holders of the
Securities with respect to such amendment, modification or termination and shall
vote with respect to such amendment, modification, or termination as directed by
a Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities voting together as a single
class; provided, however, that where a consent under the Indenture would require
a Super Majority, the Institutional Trustee may only give such consent at the
written direction of the Holders of not less than the proportion in liquidation
amount of the Securities which the relevant Super Majority represents of the
aggregate principal amount of the Debentures outstanding.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment or modification may be
made to the Declaration if such amendment or modification would (i) cause the
Trust to be classified for purposes of United States federal income taxation as
other than a grantor trust, (ii) reduce or otherwise adversely affect the powers
of the Institutional Trustee or (iii) cause the Trust to be deemed an
"investment company" which is required to be registered under the Investment
Company Act.
A-I-14
(d) Notwithstanding any provision of the Declaration, the right of any
Holder of the Capital Securities to receive payment of distributions and other
payments upon redemption or otherwise, on or after their respective due dates,
or to institute a suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such
respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such
Holder. For the protection and enforcement of the foregoing provision, each and
every Holder of the Capital Securities shall be entitled to such relief as can
be given either at law or equity.
8. Pro Rata. A reference in these terms of the Securities to any
---------
payment, distribution or treatment as being "Pro Rata" shall mean pro rata to
each Holder of the Securities according to the aggregate liquidation amount of
the Securities held by the relevant Holder in relation to the aggregate
liquidation amount of all Securities outstanding unless, in relation to a
payment, an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, in which case any
funds available to make such payment shall be paid first to each Holder of the
Capital Securities Pro Rata according to the aggregate liquidation amount of the
Capital Securities held by the relevant Holder relative to the aggregate
liquidation amount of all Capital Securities outstanding, and only after
satisfaction of all amounts owed to the Holders of the Capital Securities, to
each Holder of the Common Securities Pro Rata according to the aggregate
liquidation amount of the Common Securities held by the relevant Holder relative
to the aggregate liquidation amount of all Common Securities outstanding.
9. Ranking. The Capital Securities rank pari passu with, and payment
-------
thereon shall be made Pro Rata with, the Common Securities except that, where an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the rights of Holders of the
Common Securities to receive payment of Distributions and payments upon
liquidation, redemption and otherwise are subordinated to the rights of the
Holders of the Capital Securities with the result that no payment of any
Distribution on, or Redemption Price or Special Redemption Price of, any Common
Security, and no other payment on account of redemption, liquidation or other
acquisition of Common Securities, shall be made unless payment in full in cash
of all accumulated and unpaid Distributions on all outstanding Capital
Securities for all distribution periods terminating on or prior thereto, or in
the case of payment of the Redemption Price or Special Redemption Price the full
amount of such Redemption Price or the Special Redemption Price on all
outstanding Capital Securities then called for redemption, shall have been made
or provided for, and all funds immediately available to the Institutional
Trustee shall first be applied to the payment in full in cash of all
Distributions on, or the Redemption Price or the Special Redemption Price of,
the Capital Securities then due and payable.
10. Acceptance of Guarantee and Indenture. Each Holder of the Capital
-----------------------------------------
Securities and the Common Securities, by the acceptance of such Securities,
agrees to the provisions of the Guarantee, including the subordination
provisions therein and to the provisions of the Indenture.
11. No Preemptive Rights. The Holders of the Securities shall have no,
----------------------
and the issuance of the Securities is not subject to, preemptive or similar
rights to subscribe for any additional securities.
A-I-15
12. Miscellaneous. These terms constitute a part of the Declaration. The
-------------
Sponsor will provide a copy of the Declaration, the Guarantee, and the Indenture
to a Holder without charge on written request to the Sponsor at its principal
place of business.
A-I-16
EXHIBIT A-1
FORM OF CAPITAL SECURITY CERTIFICATE
[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]
THIS CAPITAL SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE
DECLARATION HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY ("DTC") OR A NOMINEE OF DTC. THIS CAPITAL SECURITY IS
EXCHANGEABLE FOR CAPITAL SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER
THAN DTC OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE
DECLARATION, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS CAPITAL SECURITY (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF
THIS CAPITAL SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY DTC TO A NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY A NOMINEE OF
DTC TO DTC OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF DTC) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN LIMITED
CIRCUMSTANCES.
UNLESS THIS CAPITAL SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
OF DTC TO SOUTHEASTERN BANK FINANCIAL STATUTORY TRUST I OR ITS AGENT FOR
REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CAPITAL SECURITY ISSUED
IS REGISTERED AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY
PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER
HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS
AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR ANY OTHER
APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS
ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY ONLY
(A) TO THE DEBENTURE ISSUER OR THE TRUST, (B) PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT ("RULE 144A") TO A PERSON THE HOLDER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A
"QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER" AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS
OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE
IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (C) TO A "NON
U.S. PERSON" IN AN "OFFSHORE TRANSACTION" PURSUANT TO REGULATION S UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT, (D) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
OF THE SECURITIES ACT TO AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING OF
SUBPARAGRAPH (a) (1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF RULE 501 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT
IS ACQUIRING THE SECURITY FOR
A-1-1
ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH AN "ACCREDITED INVESTOR," FOR
INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A VIEW TO, OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION
WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION OF THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO
ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES
ACT, SUBJECT TO THE DEBENTURE ISSUER'S AND THE TRUST'S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH
OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY
OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO
EACH OF THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST, A
COPY OF WHICH MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DEBENTURE ISSUER OR THE TRUST. THE HOLDER
OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES THAT IT WILL COMPLY WITH THE
FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES, REPRESENTS AND
WARRANTS THAT IT WILL NOT ENGAGE IN HEDGING TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING THIS SECURITY
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTIONS ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF ALSO AGREES,
REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT IT IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT, INDIVIDUAL
RETIREMENT ACCOUNT OR OTHER PLAN OR ARRANGEMENT SUBJECT TO TITLE I OF THE
EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED ("ERISA"), OR
SECTION 4975 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED (THE "CODE"),
(EACH A "PLAN"), OR AN ENTITY WHOSE UNDERLYING ASSETS INCLUDE "PLAN ASSETS" BY
REASON OF ANY PLAN'S INVESTMENT IN THE ENTITY AND NO PERSON INVESTING "PLAN
ASSETS" OF ANY PLAN MAY ACQUIRE OR HOLD THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN,
UNLESS SUCH PURCHASER OR HOLDER IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTION RELIEF AVAILABLE
UNDER U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROHIBITED TRANSACTION CLASS EXEMPTION 96-23,
95-60, 91-38, 90-1 OR 84-14 OR ANOTHER APPLICABLE EXEMPTION OR ITS PURCHASE AND
HOLDING OF THIS SECURITY IS NOT PROHIBITED BY SECTION 406 OF ERISA OR SECTION
4975 OF THE CODE WITH RESPECT TO SUCH PURCHASE OR HOLDING. ANY PURCHASER OR
HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE
REPRESENTED BY ITS PURCHASE AND HOLDING THEREOF THAT EITHER (i) IT IS NOT AN
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 3(3) OF ERISA, OR A PLAN TO
WHICH SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE IS APPLICABLE, A TRUSTEE OR OTHER PERSON ACTING
ON BEHALF OF AN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY
USING THE ASSETS OF ANY EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN OR PLAN TO FINANCE SUCH PURCHASE,
OR (ii) SUCH PURCHASE WILL NOT RESULT IN A PROHIBITED TRANSACTION UNDER SECTION
406 OF ERISA OR SECTION 4975 OF THE CODE FOR WHICH THERE IS NO APPLICABLE
STATUTORY OR ADMINISTRATIVE EXEMPTION.
IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER OF THE CERTIFICATE WILL DELIVER
TO THE REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES
A-1-2
AND OTHER INFORMATION AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION
OF TRUST TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.
THIS SECURITY WILL BE ISSUED AND MAY BE TRANSFERRED ONLY IN BLOCKS HAVING A
LIQUIDATION AMOUNT OF NOT LESS THAN $100,000 AND MULTIPLES OF $1,000 IN EXCESS
THEREOF. ANY ATTEMPTED TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN A BLOCK HAVING A LIQUIDATION
AMOUNT OF LESS THAN $100,000 SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE VOID AND OF NO LEGAL EFFECT
WHATSOEVER. ANY SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL BE DEEMED NOT TO BE THE HOLDER
OF THIS SECURITY FOR ANY PURPOSE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE RECEIPT OF
DISTRIBUTIONS ON THIS SECURITY, AND SUCH PURPORTED TRANSFEREE SHALL BE DEEMED TO
HAVE NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN THIS SECURITY.
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Certificate Number [P-001] Number of Capital Securities: 10,000
Certificate Evidencing Capital Securities
of
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
TP Securities
(liquidation amount $1,000 per Capital Security)
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I, a statutory trust created
under the laws of the State of Connecticut (the "Trust"), hereby certifies that
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (the "Holder"), is the
registered owner of 10,000 capital securities of the Trust representing
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, designated the TP
Securities (liquidation amount $1,000 per Capital Security) (the "Capital
Securities"). Subject to the Declaration (as defined below), the Capital
Securities are transferable on the books and records of the Trust, in person or
by a duly authorized attorney, upon surrender of this Certificate duly endorsed
and in proper form for transfer. The Capital Securities represented hereby are
issued pursuant to, and the designation, rights, privileges, restrictions,
preferences and other terms and provisions of the Capital Securities shall in
all respects be subject to, the provisions of the Amended and Restated
Declaration of Trust of the Trust, dated as of December 5, 2005, among R. Daniel
Blanton and Ronald L. Thigpen, as Administrators, U.S. Bank National
Association, as Institutional Trustee, Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation,
as Sponsor, and the holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests
in the assets of the Trust, including the designation of the terms of the
Capital Securities as set forth in Annex I to the Declaration, as the same may
be amended from time to time (the "Declaration"). Capitalized terms used herein
but not defined shall have the meaning given them in the Declaration. The Holder
is entitled to the benefits of the Guarantee to the extent provided therein. The
Sponsor will provide a copy of the Declaration, the Guarantee, and the Indenture
to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Sponsor at its
principal place of business.
By acceptance of this Security, the Holder is bound by the Declaration and
is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
By acceptance of this Security, the Holder agrees to treat, for United
States federal income tax purposes, the Debentures as indebtedness and the
Capital Securities as evidence of beneficial ownership in the Debentures.
This Capital Security is governed by, and shall be construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of Connecticut, without regard to principles of
conflict of laws.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has duly executed this certificate.
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
By:
------------------------------------------
Name:
-------------------------------------
Title: Administrator
Dated:
---------------------------------------
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Capital Securities referred to in the within-mentioned
Declaration.
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, not in its
individual capacity but solely as
Institutional Trustee
By:
------------------------------------------
Authorized Signatory
Dated:
---------------------------------------
A-1-5
[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]
Distributions payable on each Capital Security will be payable at a
variable per annum rate of interest, reset quarterly, equal to LIBOR (as defined
in the Declaration) plus 1.40% (the "Coupon Rate") of the stated liquidation
amount of $1,000 per Capital Security (provided, however, that the Coupon Rate
for any Distribution Payment Period may not exceed the highest rate permitted by
New York law, as the same may be modified by United States law of general
applicability), such Coupon Rate being the rate of interest payable on the
Debentures to be held by the Institutional Trustee. Distributions in arrears for
more than one quarterly period will bear interest thereon compounded quarterly
at the then applicable Coupon Rate for each such quarterly period (to the extent
permitted by applicable law). The term "Distributions" as used herein includes
cash distributions, any such compounded distributions and any Additional
Interest payable on the Debentures unless otherwise stated. A Distribution is
payable only to the extent that payments are made in respect of the Debentures
held by the Institutional Trustee and to the extent the Institutional Trustee
has funds legally available in the Property Account therefor. Distributions
will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days
elapsed in the relevant Distribution Payment Period.
Except as otherwise described below, Distributions on the Capital
Securities will be cumulative, will accrue from the date of original issuance
and will be payable quarterly in arrears on March 15, June 15, September 15 and
December 15 of each year, commencing on March 15, 2006 (each, a "Distribution
Payment Date"). Upon submission of Notice, and so long as no Event of Default
pursuant to paragraphs (c), (e) or (f) of Section 5.01 of the Indenture has
occurred and is continuing the Debenture Issuer has the right under the
Indenture to defer payments of interest on the Debentures by extending the
interest distribution period for up to 20 consecutive quarterly periods (each,
an "Extension Period") at any time and from time to time on the Debentures,
subject to the conditions described below, during which Extension Period no
interest shall be due and payable (except any Additional Interest that may be
due and payable). During any Extension Period, interest will continue to accrue
on the Debentures, and interest on such accrued interest (such accrued interest
and interest thereon referred to herein as "Deferred Interest") will accrue at
an annual rate equal to the Coupon Rate in effect for each such Extension
Period, compounded quarterly from the date such Deferred Interest would have
been payable were it not for the Extension Period, to the extent permitted by
law. No Extension Period may end on a date other than a Distribution Payment
Date or extend beyond the Maturity Date, any Redemption Date (to the extent
redeemed) or any Special Redemption Date, as the case may be. At the end of any
such Extension Period, the Debenture Issuer shall pay all Deferred Interest then
accrued and unpaid on the Debentures; provided, however, that no Extension
-------- -------
Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date. Prior to the termination of any
Extension Period, the Debenture Issuer may further extend such period; provided,
--------
that such period together with all such previous and further consecutive
extensions thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarterly periods, or extend
beyond the Maturity Date, Redemption Date (to the extent redeemed) or Special
Redemption Date. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and upon the
payment of all Deferred Interest, the Debenture Issuer may commence a new
Extension Period, subject to the foregoing requirements. No interest or Deferred
Interest (except any Additional Amounts that may be due and payable) shall be
due and payable during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof, but
Deferred Interest shall accrue upon each installment of interest that would
otherwise have been due and payable during such Extension Period until such
installment is paid. If Distributions are
A-1-6
deferred, the Distributions due shall be paid on the date that the related
Extension Period terminates to Holders of the Securities as they appear on the
books and records of the Trust on the record date immediately preceding such
date. Distributions on the Securities must be paid on the dates payable (after
giving effect to any Extension Period) to the extent that the Trust has funds
legally available for the payment of such distributions in the Property Account
of the Trust. The Trust's funds available for Distribution to the Holders of the
Securities will be limited to payments received from the Debenture Issuer. The
payment of Distributions out of moneys held by the Trust is guaranteed by the
Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee.
The Capital Securities shall be redeemable as provided in the Declaration.
A-1-7
ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Capital
Security Certificate to:
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
(Insert address and zip code of assignee),
and irrevocably appoints________________________________________________________
as agent to transfer this Capital Security Certificate on the books of the
Trust. The agent may substitute another to act for it, him or her.
Date:
-----------------------------------
Signature:
------------------------------
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Capital
Security Certificate)
Signature Guarantee:(1)
-------------------------------
____________________
(1) Signature must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
that is a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union
meeting the requirements of the Security registrar, which requirements include
membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program
("STAMP") or such other "signature guarantee program" as may be determined by
the Security registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in
accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
A-1-8
EXHIBIT A-2
FORM OF COMMON SECURITY CERTIFICATE
THIS COMMON SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE
SECURITIES LAWS AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED
EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION.
EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 8.1(b) OF THE DECLARATION (AS DEFINED
BELOW), THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE
TRANSFERRED.
A-2-1
Certificate Number [C-001] Number of Common Securities: 310
Certificate Evidencing Common Securities
of
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I, a statutory trust created
under the laws of the State of Connecticut (the "Trust"), hereby certifies that
Southeastern Bank Financial Corporation (the "Holder") is the registered owner
of 310 common securities of the Trust representing undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Trust (liquidation amount $1,000 per Common
Security) (the "Common Securities"). The Common Securities represented hereby
are issued pursuant to, and the designation, rights, privileges, restrictions,
preferences and other terms and provisions of the Common Securities shall in all
respects be subject to, the provisions of the Amended and Restated Declaration
of Trust of the Trust, dated as of December 5, 2005, among R. Daniel Blanton and
Ronald L. Thigpen, as Administrators, U.S. Bank National Association, as
Institutional Trustee, the Holder, as Sponsor, and the holders from time to time
of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, including the
designation of the terms of the Common Securities as set forth in Annex I to the
Declaration, as the same may be amended from time to time (the "Declaration").
Capitalized terms used herein but not defined shall have the meaning given them
in the Declaration. The Sponsor will provide a copy of the Declaration and the
Indenture to the Holder without charge upon written request to the Sponsor at
its principal place of business.
As set forth in the Declaration, when an Event of Default has occurred and
is continuing, the rights of Holders of Common Securities to payment in respect
of Distributions and payments upon Liquidation, redemption or otherwise are
subordinated to the rights of payment of Holders of the Capital Securities.
By acceptance of this Certificate, the Holder is bound by the Declaration
and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.
By acceptance of this Certificate, the Holder agrees to treat, for United
States federal income tax purposes, the Debentures as indebtedness and the
Common Securities as evidence of undivided beneficial ownership in the
Debentures.
This Common Security is governed by, and shall be construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of Connecticut, without regard to principles of
conflict of laws.
A-2-2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trust has executed this certificate as of this ____
day of _____________, 2005.
Southeastern Bank Financial Statutory Trust I
By:
------------------------------------------
Name:
-------------------------------------
Title: Administrator
A-2-3
[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]
Distributions payable on each Common Security will be payable at a variable
per annum rate of interest, reset quarterly, equal to LIBOR (as defined in the
Declaration) plus 1.40% (the "Coupon Rate") of the stated liquidation amount of
$1,000 per Capital Security (provided, however, that the Coupon Rate for any
Distribution Payment Period may not exceed the highest rate permitted by New
York law, as the same may be modified by United States law of general
applicability), such Coupon Rate being the rate of interest payable on the
Debentures to be held by the Institutional Trustee. Distributions in arrears for
more than one quarterly period will bear interest thereon compounded quarterly
at the then applicable Coupon Rate for each such quarterly period (to the extent
permitted by applicable law). The term "Distributions" as used herein includes
cash distributions, any such compounded distributions and any Additional
Interest payable on the Debentures unless otherwise stated. A Distribution is
payable only to the extent that payments are made in respect of the Debentures
held by the Institutional Trustee and to the extent the Institutional Trustee
has funds legally available in the Property Account therefor. Distributions
will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year and the actual number of days
elapsed in the relevant Distribution Payment Period.
Except as otherwise described below, Distributions on the Common Securities
will be cumulative, will accrue from the date of original issuance and will be
payable quarterly in arrears on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15
of each year, commencing on March 15, 2006 (each, a "Distribution Payment
Date"). Upon submission of Notice, and so long as no Event of Default pursuant
to paragraphs (c), (e) or (f) of Section 5.01 of the Indenture has occurred and
is continuing the Debenture Issuer has the right under the Indenture to defer
payments of interest on the Debentures by extending the interest distribution
period for up to 20 consecutive quarterly periods (each, an "Extension Period")
at any time and from time to time on the Debentures, subject to the conditions
described below, during which Extension Period no interest shall be due and
payable (except any Additional Interest that may be due and payable). During any
Extension Period, interest will continue to accrue on the Debentures, and
interest on such accrued interest (such accrued interest and interest thereon
referred to herein as "Deferred Interest") will accrue at an annual rate equal
to the Coupon Rate in effect for each such Extension Period, compounded
quarterly from the date such Deferred Interest would have been payable were it
not for the Extension Period, to the extent permitted by law. No Extension
Period may end on a date other than a Distribution Payment Date. At the end of
any such Extension Period, the Debenture Issuer shall pay all Deferred Interest
then accrued and unpaid on the Debentures; provided, however, that no Extension
Period may extend beyond the Maturity Date, Redemption Date (to the extent
redeemed) or Special Redemption Date. Prior to the termination of any Extension
Period, the Debenture Issuer may further extend such period, provided, that such
period together with all such previous and further consecutive extensions
thereof shall not exceed 20 consecutive quarterly periods, or extend beyond the
Maturity Date, Redemption Date (to the extent redeemed), or Special Redemption
Date. Upon the termination of any Extension Period and upon the payment of all
Deferred Interest, the Debenture Issuer may commence a new Extension Period,
subject to the foregoing requirements. No interest or Deferred Interest (except
any Additional Interest that may be due and payable) shall be due and payable
during an Extension Period, except at the end thereof, but Deferred Interest
shall accrue upon each installment of interest that would otherwise have been
due and payable during such Extension Period until such installment is paid. If
Distributions are deferred, the Distributions due shall be paid on the date
A-2-4
that the related Extension Period terminates to Holders of the Securities as
they appear on the books and records of the Trust on the record date immediately
preceding such date.
Distributions on the Securities must be paid on the dates payable (after
giving effect to any Extension Period) to the extent that the Trust has funds
legally available for the payment of such distributions in the Property Account
of the Trust. The Trust's funds legally available for Distribution to the
Holders of the Securities will be limited to payments received from the
Debenture Issuer. The payment of Distributions out of moneys held by the Trust
is guaranteed by the Guarantor pursuant to the Guarantee.
The Common Securities shall be redeemable as provided in the Declaration.
A-2-5
ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this Common
Security Certificate to:
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
(Insert address and zip code of assignee),
and irrevocably appoints ________ as agent to transfer this Common Security
Certificate on the books of the Trust. The agent may substitute another to act
for him or her.
Date:
-----------------------------------
Signature:
------------------------------
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Common
Security Certificate)
Signature Guarantee:(1)
-------------------------------
____________________
(1) Signature must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution"
that is a bank, stockbroker, savings and loan association or credit union,
meeting the requirements of the Security registrar, which requirements include
membership or participation in the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program
("STAMP") or such other "signature guarantee program" as may be determined by
the Security registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in
accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
A-2-6